Revival
by rellimmes
Summary: Petra Ral is a fighter. Five years ago, she fought her way back to Wall Rose without any memories, and now she's captain of her own squad as part of the Garrison's elite program. She doesn't want to know about her life before the accident, but now a certain Levi Ackerman's appeared in her life, and he's starting to ask questions she doesn't know the answers to...
1. Chapter 1

**Petra Ral is a fighter. She fought her way back to Wall Rose, fought to the top of the ranks of the Trainee Squad and fought into her position as a captain in the Stationary Guard. It's been three years since she last set foot outside the Walls, five years since she awakened to a terrible new world with monsters and no memory, and she's perfectly content with life as it is. Problem is, a man named Levi Ackerman just entered the picture, and he's asking questions she isn't quite sure she has the answers to. And in her case, sometimes the truth isn't something that sets you free…**

**Revival  
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The ground vibrated beneath her as she ran, covered in blood and sweat and hot tears that poured down her face, creating clean streaks that contrasted into an otherwise haggard and distressed appearance. Her honey colored hair was pasted to her head in thick, greasy strands, and her golden eyes shone with a certain ferocity and determination she'd never known before now. Her body ached and hurt all over, but she kept pushing herself forward anyways, desperate for solace and safety she had yet to discover. She didn't know neither what safety was nor the concept of peace of mind, or even rage, though the feelings were somewhat familiar. But then again, she didn't know much of anything now.

There was a large wall ahead of her, surrounded by pounding giants that chased her and snapped at her like slow, fat, lumbering dogs. She didn't know what they were or why they were so intent on eating her, but she knew what danger was and instinctively knew that allowing herself to get too close to any single one of the creatures meant certain death, and even in short time span she could recall (that being a matter of only three days) she was quite sure she did not yet want to die, and refused to allow herself to do so.

She did not have a clue as to what 'three-dimentional maneuvering gear' was, but she had discovered that she knew how to use it and the action of such came easy to her, almost like second-nature. She also knew that the monsters chasing her couldn't be killed by simply cutting off a limp but by either decapitating entirely or slicing off the nape of the neck. She'd already killed eight in two days via the nape kill (because the blades on her gear weren't sharp enough or large enough to cut off a giant's head), a record she thought, but wasn't quite sure about that either. She went with it. The wall was almost within reach.

There was a small monster on her tail now, and she was surprised how slow it was compared to the others. She was also surprised at how fast she'd become, how skilled and simple it was to just attach herself to the back of a creature and kill it before moving onto the next one. If she wasn't running the risk of dying she might have had fun, swinging from monster to monster like a monkey. But right now there were no tall creatures upon which to climb up and propel off of, so she stuck to darting upon the earth underneath her.

The baby monster swung its fist at her and roared, deafening her ears, and she automatically swung herself around to face it. She had no time for games or distractions- the wall was so close, and there were no other monsters within sight. Already she could see tiny specks of people atop the wall and the gate, peering down at her and shouting unintelligibly. She glared at the monster in front of her as it stopped and stared down at her. She unsheathed her swords and slung them forward as she jettisoned herself towards it with her gear, eyes gleamed maliciously. She landed upon its shoulder with apparent ease, feeling the adrenaline high she'd been on for the past two days starting to wear off extremely quickly. She was starting to get dizzy, and she barely evaded the monster's hand trying to flick her off its shoulder. She positioned herself atop its head, groaning as she held on for dear life.

"Now hold still, or I can't kill you properly!" she shouted at it before plunging her swords deep into the back of its neck. The creature screamed (or at least she considered it to be a scream; could monsters scream?) as she cut into it, blood spurting everywhere and getting all over her ragged clothing as it fell. She felt herself falling too, and without thinking she shot the grappling hooks up into the air and attached them to the top of the wall, hoisting herself up to safety before collapsing. She didn't move, and she finally let herself close her eyes for the first time in three days.

Darkness consumed her, and she welcomed it with open arms even as strange voices echoed around her;

"Who is she?"

"A Survey Corpsmen? How'd she end up out there?"

"I thought the mission was a failure."

"Didn't everyone die?"

"She looks familiar."

"Someone get a medic!"

"Lift her onto the stretcher, get to her the hospital."

"Find Commander Erwin."

"No, not until we have something. Send for Commander Pixis."

"Where did she come from?"

"Outside the Wall? But how?"

"How long's she been out there?"

"Is she still alive?"

"What's her name?"

"Stop, I know her!"

"Well then, who is she?"

"_Petra Ral."_

**End Chapter 1**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

She woke up in a hospital bed 24 hours later, shivering and feverish and holding onto a single absolute- her own name.

It was exciting, being able to call yourself something. _Petra Ral. _It sounded so foreign rolling off of her tongue, but it felt to right too, like she'd been doing it all her life- which, she assumed, she had. So her name was Petra, and she was somebody to someone, because how else would they know it was her? She had a life, an actual life, not the three-to-four day existence she remembered. She found it odd that she didn't remember anything before waking up in the woods, but she gained information from the doctors and nurses bustling in and out of her room. Pretending she was asleep was easy, and she found it easier to listen when she wasn't busy trying to see.

"A Survey Corps soldier; you can tell by the emblem on her jacket, or what little remained of it."

"Her unit came back days ago. She wasn't with them. Almost everyone in that unit was KIA."

"You think they left her for dead?"

"Must have. The Corps usually don't have time to bring back all the bodies that drop out there."

"I told you, we're under orders. No one outside the doctors attending to her and the guards that found her know she's still alive. Word doesn't get out, or there'll be panic."

"What about her squad? They have a right to know."

"They were going to let her die. I won't tell them anything."

She stopped listening to conversations after that. She was a soldier, and she had teammates, most of whom were dead. She was supposed to be dead too, but she'd escaped. Her squad had left her behind. She had obviously not been important, or else they would have brought her body back, wouldn't they? The Survey Corps only brought back dead people who were worth something- or so she had heard. No one was supposed to know she was alive, either. Whoever she was and whatever she'd gotten herself into, it most certainly had caused a lot of panic. Petra turned over and tried to forget everything she'd heard, or, better yet, wake up and find that it was all a dream.

But that moment never came.

There was a man sitting at her bedside a day later. She'd woken up from a deep slumber to find an old man reclining in a chair, with another younger man next to him. They were soldiers and they looked kind, but she wasn't sure, and she stared at them in confusion with wide eyes. "Who are you?"

The younger man, the officer with blonde hair and a good natured face, smiled down at her. "I'm Commander Erwin from the Survey Corps, Petra. How are you feeling?"

She blinked, not fully understanding the question. "I don't know." And it was the truth, the only other truth she'd known. Commander Erwin frowned a frown that Petra took for sadness, and she felt guilty for causing it, however unintentional it was. "Do I know you?"

He shook his head slowly, hesitantly. "No, not anymore." He glanced over at the old man. "You hit your head pretty hard." He sat down back in his chair, inching over closer towards Petra's bedside so he could actually talk to her. "Tell me, Petra, how much do you remember?"

She shrugged, closing her eyes and trying desperately to recall anything useful. "Nothing. I only know what people tell me, and what they say."

The two men exchanged glances, and the older one perked up curiously. "And what do they say, Petra?"

Petra opened her eyes and sighed, looking away. "That my name is Petra Ral. I am a member of the Survey Corps, I had a team, and I am supposed to be dead. My team was killed in action, and I was left behind to be eaten by monsters."

She looked at the old man, letting concern fill her eyes. "Why am I here?"

He smiled kindly, almost pleasantly, his eyes twinkling. "That, my dear, is a very good question." He looked over at Commander Erwin. "She has no memory of her life before her attack, Commander, and yet she fought her way through miles of Titan infested lands to reach a place she'd never remembered seeing in her life." He nodded towards the bedridden girl. "My sentries tell me they spotted her taking down a Titan completely by herself, and who knows how many more before that. She has reverted to form, relying on instinct to survive rather than training."

Erwin frowned thoughtfully. "So you think she's retained the knowledge her mind's consumed over the years, just not personal memories." He nodded. "That would coincide with what the nurses were reporting. She'll never be able to get them back."

"And yet she's still just as much of a soldier as she was before all of this occurred." The old man seemed fascinated by this, and it dawned on Petra that this might be the Commander Pixis the guards were talking about before she passed out. This Commander Pixis came off as quite eccentric, but she found herself taking a bit of a liking to it. It was funny, she decided, possibly the funniest thing she'd ever heard, and to her knowledge it mostly likely was. She attempted to sit up straight in her bed and cleared her throat, gaining the two men's attention. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to interrupt, but I was wondering when I'll get to go home. I don't think my injuries are severe, sirs, and if it's all the same to you, I'd like to get my life straightened out."

Commander Erwin nodded in agreement. "As would we, Petra, as would we." He glanced over the medical file he'd been given. "Nothing too terrible, not counting the severe memory loss. A major concussion, it says, dehydration, physical exhaustion, but I'm not surprised considering what you managed to accomplish within such a short amount of time. A miracle, really. Your father's on his way, he'll be here in a couple hours to take you home."

Petra felt her heart skip a beat and excitement wash over her. "I have a father?" she repeated over and over, almost giddily. "I have a father?"

Commander Pixis smiled and winked at her. "And I'm sure he'll be delighted to see you, Ms. Ral," he reassured her. "Don't you think so, Commander Erwin?"

The younger man swallowed and nodded uncomfortably. "Uh, oh yes, he'll be quite relieved," he replied hastily, before turning back to Pixis. "Commander, seeing as your Garrison has been handling her case from the beginning, is it safe to assume that you'll be taking charge of her stability while she's recovering? The Survey Corps would usually be on it, but seeing as this is a unique situation and we don't need rioting in the streets, and I still have to break the news to the rest of her squad-"

"NO!"

The word was out of her mouth before Petra even knew what was happening. She quickly went to cover it, but upon realizing that she'd actually made a real decision she decided to stick to it and tell them why. In truth, she was actually not at all interested in seeing these squad members of hers, whoever they were, and she informed Commanders Pixis and Erwin of such. "If they didn't feel the need to make sure I was dead before they abandoned me, then they obviously don't want to see me alive," she reasoned. It sounded childish, she knew, but it was justified and she could tell the doctors in the room thought so too. Even Pixis seemed to understand and was nodding, but Commander Erwin wasn't too keen on the idea. "Petra, you don't know that. It's not what you think, or would have thought if you had your memories back-"

"It doesn't matter what the old Petra would have thought, because she doesn't exist anymore," Petra stated firmly crossing her arms. "I'm here now, and I have the opportunity to re-create a life for myself, and _you're_ going to help me do it." She pointed at Pixis, who seemed surprised for a moment but settled back into an amused eccentricity-like state again. "Alright Ms. Ral," he replied, smiling. "How might I be of service?"

Petra slid out of bed, feeling the cold linoleum floor beneath her bare feet, and she clutched the bed post for some support. She felt determination flow through her again, a familiar and welcome feeling indeed, and she told him of her plan.

"I'm a soldier. I don't want to change that. It's all I know how to do now, and if I can survive by myself for three whole days with flesh eating monst- I mean, _Titans_, then I must be good at it." She looked over at Erwin, who was reluctant to meet her gaze. "But I don't want to be in the Survey Corps. I'm in no mood to almost die again, but I still want to do humanity some good, for what it's worth." The words kept rolling off her tongue, and Petra knew they must have been familiar to her if they came easy. She locked eyes with Pixis. "I want to join the Garrison. I'll work with civilians, protect lives, maybe even have a resemblance of her own." She paused. "I can't remember if I had a life outside the Survey Corps."

Erwin didn't say anything to her, but looked over at Pixis, who seemed rather impressed with her. The older man nodded and smiled gently at her. "I'll do all I can to ensure that you succeed, Ms. Ral," he promised. "I will have to put you back through the Trainee Corps, but-"

This time it was Erwin objecting. "No," he stated firmly, putting his foot down. "She's too good for that, even you know it. If she still retains the information and muscle memory then she shouldn't have a problem with learning the basics of the Garrison on the fly-"

But Pixis shook his head, and Petra found herself agreeing with the old man. "Muscle memory only takes one so far, Commander Erwin," Pixis reminded him politely, frowning as he got up from his seat and made his way towards the door. "You're right; Ms. Ral will excel in every field the training corps put her through because they're her basic instincts now, but she must also be re-taught the workings of the military and society as a whole. Logic, knowledge and common sense are second-nature in this situation, but one never knows how much or how little was lost along with Ms. Ral's personal life."

He bowed his way out the door. "I will personally oversee your progress, Ms. Ral, remember that. I expect to see that you train just as hard as everyone else."

She saluted automatically, with hesitation or thought of it. "Yes sir!"

The two commanders left, and Petra changed out of her hospital gown and into the clothing the faculty had provided for her. It was a simple white blouse and a grey skirt, but it would do until her got home.

_Home. Father. _Those were two important factors of her new life now, and she felt excitement when she was finally led out to meet them. A new start, a chance at something better- she didn't know who she had been in the past, but she knew for certain that the new Petra Ral quite liked that idea.

**End Chapter 2**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Days turned into weeks, and Petra found herself regularly corresponding with Commanders Pixis and the Garrison. She hadn't considered herself a top priority, but she'd been informed that her case was peculiar enough to deserve a great deal of attention. She decided that this wasn't preferential treatment but rather exception for rarity. She'd heard of it before, where some soldiers graduated sooner than others because of skill and talent shown in practice. Petra wasn't sure how she felt about that quite yet, but she trained as hard as she could with all the vigor she could manage.

The young woman found herself back in the Trainee Corps before the month was out, but there were several alterations to the package. Petra wasn't with the rest of the trainee population, and she wasn't alone. There was a specific section of the trainee corps she hadn't been aware of until recently, comprised of former soldiers or sidelined combatants that had been out of commission so long they needed re-training. Petra was assigned to this unit not because she was incapable of regular training but because she'd surpass the rest with little effort regardless of where they put her, and she was up for a challenge.

Because of the nature of the Scouts, few if any soldiers made it long enough to survive the job itself, much less an incapacitating Titan attack, therefore only three Scouts had ever gone through re-training. There were none in Petra's division, but Pixis and Erwin had made certain that no Corpsmen that might have had any connection to Petra from her previous life ever entered the Trainee Corps. Word could never get around that she was alive and the Special Operations Squad had screwed up, abandoning a Scout out in the field live they were still alive. The Scouts would really be in trouble if people found out they'd abandoned one of their own to the Titans. They weren't popular to begin with, but if anyone higher up that didn't agree with them caught wind of this mistake the entire branch would be shut down in a heartbeat. Petra wasn't fond of the Corps herself, but even she recognized the importance of the Scouts and their missions. She must have before too, once before, or else she wouldn't have signed her death warrant by joining them in the first place. Still, it wasn't an idea she particularly enjoyed, and tried to forget about it altogether. It almost worked.

Her father was nice enough; a large, warm hearted man with a big smile and a protective streak. The first two days she'd been back had been a bit awkward, considering he kept talking to her as if she remembered him and her life before the accident. After a while, once she was comfortable enough to talk to him without feeling like a stranger, she'd politely asked him to recount everything she'd ever done (that was a long conversation). She learned a lot about herself (or at least who she once was), like her love of horses and how she'd taken the loss of her mother at an early age. She had always wanted to join the military, ever since she was a child, and no one had gotten in her way once the decision was made.

She was friendly, good natured, hard working and intelligent. Petra agreed with the final two statements- she would have to see about the first two.

She felt guilty that she wasn't what everyone expected of her, though Mr. Ral kept insisting it wasn't her fault. Still, Petra couldn't manage to be the bubbly, cheerful, carefree girl the people of her village remembered her being. Her earliest memory she was capable of recalling was searing pain ripping throughout her body and the constant sense of danger engulfing her mind. She'd only been back a few weeks, but Petra was pretty sure those memories would shape whatever character she chose to assume. Bubbly and cheerful she could fake. Carefree? Never again.

She was supposed to find a husband and settle down after she resigned from the Survey Corps, as her mother had wished. Those plans had changed with her death, and Mr. Ral had assured her he had no intentions on enforcing anything they had planned together before her accident. This arrangement relaxed Petra considerably; she liked the idea of family, and her father was quickly growing on her. It was like they had a sort of connection that hadn't been broken even after the accident. It made her smile, and according to the people around her that smile was now a rarity. She believed them.

The Retraining Corps was interesting, to say the least. It was more brushing up on old tactics and skills rather than building new ones, which was perfectly fine with Petra. The things she learned, the skills she managed, all of it had been retained in the back of her mind and came forward the second she needed them to, like pulling a rabbit out of bottomless hat. The doctors couldn't explain it, Pixis was fascinated by it and Petra was just thankful that it hadn't been too difficult. She hadn't expected to rise up through the ranks into the Top 10 as quickly as she did, or to graduate first in the class. Retraining only took a year, and soon Petra found herself right back where she started, in Trost- with a few changes, of course.

Commander Pixis had been extremely pleased with her progress, and surprisingly Commander Erwin was as well. He had kept track of her as she'd risen through retraining, Petra was informed, and while he hadn't been happy with her joining a new branch of the militia he had rallied to grant her captaincy of a squad. Pixis had agreed on one condition; no formal ceremony, no public announcement. As far as the rest of the Survey Corps were concerned, Petra Ral was dead and staying that way.

Sometimes Petra forgot why she'd even bothered to keep her continued existence a secret, but the reasons and justifications always came back and in her favor. Officially? The Survey Corps would be shut down in retaliation for the scandal, and the higher-ups would have never allowed someone like her back into the military if they knew what had happened. Her career would have been over, and humanity would have lost an exceptional soldier.

Personally? Petra felt betrayed. She didn't know how she could feel betrayed by people she never remembered meeting, but she did. They were supposed to be her squad, and they abandoned her without a glance, without a second thought or even seeing if she was still alive. If they cared so little for her, then they didn't deserve to know about her. And Petra was perfectly content with that.

The introduction to her new team was an interesting one, to say the least. The squad was brand new, with a group of eager rookies whose experience was limited but skills made up for. They were braver than most who joined the Garrison, and even though their daunting task wasn't easy they had signed up anyways. Petra felt encouraged, and for a brief moment her faith in humanity was restored. Anka, Pixis' personal bodyguard and strategist, had introduced her to them.

"Everyone, this is Petra Ral, your new squad captain," she explained to the four young soldiers. "She was transferred in to head up your unit, and is one of the best in her field with a total of 10 Solo Kills and 48 Assist Kills. She knows what she's doing and is good at what she does, and if half of you are as good as your reports say you are, your unit's going to be considered the Special Operations Squad of the Garrison." She nodded towards Petra as she left, leaving the new soldiers in a state of amazement. "Good luck. You'll need it."

"Thanks." Outside Erwin, Pixis, and a select number of wall guards and doctors Anka Rheinberger was one of the few who knew who Petra really was, and they'd become decent friends over the past few months. They respected each other and valued the other's companionship, and Petra was glad that Anka was the one introducing her to the team. She had a way with words, picking and choosing them carefully so that the truth was never altered, only selective, and that fact alone was comforting. Petra smiled and turned to the three young men and a woman. They were still teenagers, the oldest being only nineteen. Compared to Petra, who was a young woman in her early thirties, they were easily kids.

"Welcome to the Garrison. You four are about to embark on perhaps one of the most dangerous career paths humanity has to offer. The Garrison, as you know, is tasked with both defending the walls and protecting the civilian population. This squad, a part of a new program instituted by the Commander himself, has been built for the sole purpose the extraction, meaning that you'll be going into areas invaded by Titans and evacuating the civilians within the region. Most of your time will be spent studying Titans themselves and assessing their strengths and weaknesses as well as partaking in security of Wall Rose."

A mousy haired boy, whose name was David, raised his hand while accidentally bumping into the dark and silent boy next to him, whose name was Oro. "So we're basically glorified wall security guards?"

Petra shook her head. "No, you're much more than that. While you will be working alongside the guards at the walls you will also be acting as defensive strategists in your own right. You will be stationed atop the walls as to be the first on the scene should a Titan attack commence. Your jobs are considered the elitist of the elite. You are tasked with the immense responsibility of being the first on the scene and the last out, rescuing fellow soldiers and carrying specific target attacks. You will not be evacuating civilians, but rather seeing to it that the Garrison doesn't lose any more troops than it must."

She paused, crossing her arms and thinking. "Ms. Rheinberger was right in saying that this squad will come to be considered the Special Operations Squad of the Garrison. Here you're the best of the best, handpicked by the Commander in Chief himself. Being stationed in Trost is no picnic, but I think you're more than up to the task."

Oro raised his hand, waiting to be called on. Petra nodded in his direction, and he spoke quietly. "Will we work with the Survey Corps too?"

Petra bit her lip, uncertain, but she pulled a controlled expression and shook her head. "Most likely not. The Survey Corps do go in and out of Trost for expeditions, but they rarely interact with the Garrison outside manning the gates."

The girl's blue eyes narrowed, her bottle blonde hair pinned up out of her face and fingernails manicured. Petra had read her file; her name was Jewel, wealthy merchant's daughter from Wall Sina, joined the military as part of a rebellious streak long since rendered an issue. Liked to question authority, but she had placed 14th in her graduating class, which earned her the spot on Petra's squad. "So we _are_ working in Trost?"

It was a statement more than a question, but Petra responded anyways. "Yes, we'll be working in the Trost district. It's not an overtly dangerous place unless Titans are invading, but caution is advised. There aren't many respectable folk who still live down there these days."

The red headed boy called Mason spoke up. "Is it true what Ms. Rheinberger said, Captain? 10 solo kills, 48 assists on the Titans? That has to be a Garrison record!"

Mason was right, it was. Petra nodded in agreement, not bothering to comment that in her time fighting back to Wall Rose she'd killed well over 15 more Titans, all solo, all without 'formal' training. That wasn't important. "It's true, but hardly relevant," she replied quickly, moving them along with a politely placed smile. "As you all progress you'll have your fair chances at slaying Titans." Her golden eyes twinkled mischievously, remembering watching the new Trainees answer their superior's question _Why are you here? _"Isn't that why you all are here? To kill Titans?"

The four soldiers looked at her, eyes wide, and she laughed. She'd been doing that more often now, finding life enjoyable again and more willing to snag humorous moments when she saw them. Her father had noted it was more like her old self- a good sign, Petra agreed. "Don't look at me like that, you certainly didn't join the Garrison because it gave you social stability. I joined the military because I wanted to kill Titans too- and to make a difference, I suppose." She added it more as an afterthought before motioning towards them and then away towards the door.

"You will be receiving your standing orders in the morning at 8 am sharp. What you do before then is your business, but I suggest sleeping." She winked at them before leaving herself. "It's going to be a long day."

**End Chapter 3**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

_Five years later… _

"Unit, assemble!"

Four soldiers were at her side in an instant, sheathing their swords and saluting sharply as the wall shook underneath them. Shouting and yelling could be heard below and all around them as guards scrambled to follow orders and carry out the tasks before them, all on edge. The wall shook again.

Captain Petra Ral steadied herself from the latest blow and made eye contact with her team. Oro and Jewel had just come from the ground surveying the damage, with Mason and David coming from a brief encounter with the wall security guards. Jewel gave her report first, chattering a mile a minute. She'd become more flexible and easy going as the years had gone by, but no less loud. "The outer gates in Trost were breached an hour ago, with at least twenty Titans swarming into the immediate blocks. One hundred dead, reinforcements from the Middle Guard are advancing from Hermiha now. The Rear Guard is on standby."

Petra nodded, the thin white scar across her jaw-line shining in the late afternoon sun. She could see the thick cloud of smoke rising from the outer wall in Trost, hear the chaos as the last of the evacuees entered the main gates below her and the gates slammed shut. She frowned severely. "They'll be deployed soon. We have to move quickly. Where are the Titans as of now?"

"Just making it to the center of the district. The Garrison's doing a good job slowing them down, but they're losing people fast."

Oro pointed towards the city below, slowly smoldering as giant figures crashed into building as building. He didn't talk much, even now, but being a man of few words was the quality Petra liked about him. "Front Guard means rookies…"

"Which_ means_ you'll have beginners trying to play hero and save their friends," Jewel finished for him. "Captain, over a hundred are dead. What's the plan?"

Petra scanned the horizon line again, thinking fast. "You two, swing down ahead of the rest of us. Scout out the area, bring down whatever Titans got past the Garrison and are headed this way. We'll meet you halfway to the outer gates."

The two soldiers nodded and leapt off the top of the wall, spiriting away on their gear. Petra turned to a nervous-looking Mason and an overtly excited David. "What do you have for me?"

David practically jumped to answer her. He was an active young man in his early twenties, like the rest of the squad (minus Petra, being older), who was easily excitable and eager for action. Mason was usually the calmer of the two, the rational one who thought things through before acting, which was why Petra had paired them together. They were a good contrast. "We talked with the guard who came from the outer wall. He was the one who was sent to bring the news of the breach here, saw everything. The gate was re-blocked fairly quickly, so no more Titans are entering the district now. About ten have been killed within the hour; apparently they're pretty large this time. That leaves ten more, and if Oro, Jewel and the rest of the deployed units bring down five of the smaller ones-"

"-we have the task of taking down the others and rescuing the surviving soldiers, yeah, I think the Captain already did the math David," Mason snapped at him. He looked at Petra. "I guess you want us to try and extract the survivors, right?"

Petra nodded. "Yes. Don't go near the eight block radius surrounding the outer gates, you hear me? The largest ones will move the slowest, and I've got a feeling it'll take the entire squad to bring them down this time."

"Yes Captain."

The Garrison _heichou _teetered on the edge of the wall, glancing over her shoulder at the two soldiers and smiling deviously. "You ready to kick some Titan ass?"

David laughed and leapt off the side of the wall, not bothering to answer. Mason saluted, grinning, and nodded. "Ready as ever, Captain!"

Petra nodded. "Let's go then."

They dove off the wall and into the fray.

Three years of training, strategizing, worrying, and sarcasm kept Petra's squad alive. But it always had, right from the start. As Petra scaled a Titan's back and plunged her blades into its nape she was reminded of their first mission, the extraction of a Garrison soldier who'd accidentally gotten locked out of the outer wall. It had been discovered after the Survey Corps were already gone ("Bastards hadn't even bothered to notice anything outside of themselves,"Jewel had said) and the Titans that had been lured away previously were coming back. Petra had wrongfully assumed that putting Oro and Mason onto the task of slaying the smaller Titan approaching first was a good idea, and after rescuing a reckless Mason from the jaws of the Titan, scolding sass-master Jewel for ignoring her order _not _to abandon the trapped soldier inside the gates and killing the monster herself Petra had finally found team pairings that would work and figured out exactly how she would go about preparing her squad for the next assault.

It hadn't been easy, but it had been built off mutual respect and trust that had evolved to friendships and deep bonds. Petra had been with them through thick and thin, and vice versa. She'd seen them mature, and they'd helped her open up. She was firm, hard working, intelligent, the strongest leader the Garrison had to offer- and no one knew about her. The squad got a little publicity, perhaps, but only within the range of a few Garrison regiments who were stationed in Trost. Perhaps that was the way Pixis had intended it to be, and Petra was fine with it. She liked her discrete life, even if her team didn't always like the fact that they got zero credit for their own work, and she wouldn't have changed a thing.

The last titan fell three hours later, and with only a sprained ankle in David's part (no surprise) and a minor concussion for Oro (which he suffered silently, as usual) Petra let them retire early and decided to debrief the Commander in Chief alone. She usually took Mason with her to flesh out the details she hadn't had time to notice (too busy making sure no one on her team got kicked into a tree, Pixis joked once. Petra didn't find it funny), but she figured fifteen soldiers rescued from certain death and 10 solo/assist kills from her team didn't need much backing up. However, she entered his office to find the Commander passed out on his couch and Anka sitting at his desk, shifting through papers. She looked up and grinned.

"Petra! Come on in. I just got wall security's report in and was about to call you." She glanced over at the drunken old man lying in the corner in disappointment. "He had a relapse again, after I'd gone to interview one of the regiment sergeants. I came back to find a bottle of Scotch stolen from the office down the hall and him snoring away. He won't be up for a while." She smirked slyly for a moment. "I might just leave him here overnight for once."

Petra chuckled as she sat down in the chair across from her. "You're so mean." She handed the report over to her friend, noting the bound-up wrist poking out from under her coat sleeve. "How'd you end up with that? I thought Pixis' personal guard didn't deal in Titan attacks."

Anka shrugged. "Special case. Gustav accidentally slipped and fell over Wall Rose, barely caught his bearing and swung himself to safety with his gear. I had to go down and help him back up, got caught up with that Titan that got past the Rear Guard." She shook her head, sighing. "I haven't actually fought a Titan in forever, but man was it fun. Nowadays I just keep the Commander over here" she nodded towards Pixis "out of the way of muggers and his drinking habits." She opened the file, scanned it through to make sure everything was in order, and set it on the desk before resuming the conversation. "You know, when I agreed to be Pixis' personal body guard and main strategist I never imagined I'd be his caretaker too."

Petra frowned thoughtfully. "That means he trusts you, on the field and off. One day he'll retire, and when he does you'll be higher up than you could possibly imagine."

Her friend chuckled and shook her head again. "I'm not looking for glory here, Petra. I'm here because I like making a difference, same reason you joined back up. That's the kind of people we are." Her face brightened up suddenly, and she reached into the folds of her jacket and pulled out a letter. "Oh, before I forget, your father sent this for you. It ended up in my mailbox on accident." Petra took it and tucked it away. "Thanks."

"How's he doing?"

"He says he's better, but I don't believe him. His handwriting's too off, shaky, run together. I'll have to pay a visit to his doctor, see about potential treatments."

Pixis snorted in his sleep. Anka ignored him. "You know," she said "smoking's a lot like drinking, except they affect different parts. The Commander's liver's gonna give if he tries drowning his sorrows as much as he used to, and a smoker's lungs can get damaged pretty badly after years of abuse. He could go for a lung transplant, but those are expensive and don't have a high chance of success. Even if you could afford to have one replaced getting the second one would be nearly impossible. He'd have to live with the other decaying one the rest of his life, still running the risk of cancer or serious infection."

Petra nodded. "I read up on it. If it gets worse even a minor cold could kill him. I'm worried about him." Anka frowned sympathetically, tapping the pen in her hand against the desk while she thought. "You've got vacation days coming up soon. Take some time off, go visit him. It'd be good for you, help you two to weigh your options."

The Garrison captain's eyes widened. "Are you serious? They'd let me do that, even right after a wall breach? I'd think that would be the last thing you'd need."

But Anka waved her off with a smile and a friendly twinkle in her eye. "Pixis wouldn't mind, and since he's incapacitated right now I'm acting Commander anyways. Take a week, go up to your father. Does he still worry about your safety in the field?"

Petra got up to leave as she nodded towards her friend. "Not as much as he used to, or said he did. I think he likes the Garrison better than the Survey Corps- he likes the fact that he sees me more often, he told me once."

Anka cracked a smile. "Then you will most certainly be welcomed home. I'll sign the form for your release and you can be on your way in the morning."

"Thanks." Petra stifled a yawn and headed towards the door. "G'night Rheinberger."

"Good night Ral."

**End Chapter 4**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Of all the places he'd found his team over the years, this one ranked #1 for ridiculous.

The Special Operations Squad had just gotten back from a routine mission with the Scouts, and given that they wouldn't be going back out again for the rest of the month their squad leader Levi Ackerman had offered them the option of taking a couple days off before attending the mandatory debriefing meeting with Hange (that is to say, he'd convinced the Commander to push back the meeting back until Tuesday and his team was to take full advantage of it). They'd taken off early the morning, with Eren, Armin and Mikasa off to parts unknown and Jean choosing to visit his mother in nearby Trost. He'd been worried, Levi knew, especially after the breach of the outer gates the day before. The Survey Corps hadn't been called in, which Levi had noted as odd, but no one had taken much notice of it and Levi didn't push the matter. _Looks like the Garrison finally grew a pair_, he'd thought to himself.

Right now he was taking a much-needed walk through the city, thankful to have time away from the squad that caused him so much grief over the past few years. They were good, no doubt, the best humanity had to offer, but they were young and still somewhat inexperienced. Peace and quiet and alone time was good, especially if you were working with other people around the clock. However, quite by accident he had come across what was quite possibly the messiest pie eating contest he'd ever seen, with Sasha Blouse in the middle of it and her friend Connie Springer sitting off to the side laughing his head off. Levi approached the two, towering over them with his arms crossed, and Connie stopped and stiffed.

Her opponent, a large fat man with a pink bib sticking out of his shirt, stopped as well. It was only polite, of course, and cheating at pie eating contests was the worst crime imaginable. Sasha was the last to notice her leader and froze mid bite, staring up at him guiltily. "Oh, um… hello _heichou! _We were just, uh-"

"We're eating lunch!" Connie sprang up, covering for her quickly. "I wasn't hungry, but Sasha was starving, and we sorta figured this was the, uh, _best_ alternative to actually buying food ourselves…"

Levi raised an eyebrow. "What's the prize?"

"Money!" Sasha blurted out, setting her pie slice down and shrinking back in her seat, intimidated. There was a crowd gathered around them, and they were murmuring in anticipation. "30 silver coins! I was goin to split it with Connie and the squad, I promise! We figured our paycheck doesn't come until next week, and the food in the mess hall is _so disgusting, heichou! _Please, please don't be mad!"

Levi cracked an amused smile, much to the surprise of Sasha and everyone surrounding her. "And why would I be mad, Sasha?" He glanced over at the fat man, who was eyeing Sasha's stack of apple pies warily. It was much smaller than his own. "Just make sure you win, and don't complain about an aching stomach later."

Both Connie and Sasha saluted. "Yes _heichou_!"

"MAKE WAY FOR THE GARRISON! MAKE WAY FOR THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUAD!"

Levi was interrupted by a screaming soldier and a bungle blow, with the crowd surrounding them compacting as a wave of Stationary Guardsmen marched past. A recently graduated Trainee Corpsmen was standing next to Levi, who looked over at him in confusion. Some ways over Sasha resumed her pie eating contest. "The Special Operations Sqaud? That's my division. What's going on?"

The soldier shook his head, not bothering to make eye contact with him, which Levi found annoying. He was too busy craning his neck to see the troops rolling by. "They're talking about the Garrison's Squad. Commander Pixis called an emergency assembly this morning, and all the high ranking captains and their battalions are supposed to be there. Something about war crimes, I hear."

"War crimes?" Levi's head was spinning. "There's a second Special Operation's Squad?"

"Oh yeah, for the Garrison," the trainee replied. "They're a lot like the Survey Corps' squadron, except they focus specifically on extraction tactics. Pixis initiated the program to reduce the number the causalities in the Garrison units stationed in and around Trost. They analyze the Titans, strategize defensive battle tactics, rescue fallen soldiers- man, what I wouldn't give to be assigned to that team! I heard they were handpicked by Pixis himself, including their squad leader."

Levi raised a curious eyebrow. "Who's their squadron leader?"

The boy shrugged. "I dunno, some lady in her thirties. No one really knows about this particular squad outside this immediate area, since they're stationed here specially for the defense of Trost. I hear their captain keeps a pretty low profile, even though she's kinda like a legend around here. I heard she's slain over 85 Titans solo, with over a hundred assist kills with her squad. Apparently no one knows her name outside her team and some of the higher ups in Pixis' office, and they're pretty tight lipped about it."

Levi was intrigued, but the boy moved away from him before he could ask any more questions, so he pushed himself up to the front of the crowd and watched as the Stationary Guards passed. Some of them recognized Levi and nodded in meetings, but most of them were stone faced and walked past without a second glance. Whatever was happening with the Stationary Guards and their ranks, it wasn't good. One of them stopped directly in front of Levi and handed him a thick envelope. Levi looked at him cynically. "What the hell is this?"

"Summons," the soldiers stated simply, nodding towards the paper and the seal binding it together. "You're being called to attend the preliminary hearing at the court houses immediately."

"What for?" Levi demanded at once, eyes narrowed. "What do the Scouts have to do with Garrison politics?"

The soldiers shrugged. "I'm just the messenger, bud. You'll have to take it up with your Commander. We delivered her summons an hour ago."

To say the least, Commander Hange Zoe was both ecstatic and infuriated at the prospect of being called to attend a trial addressing war crimes. Levi sat down next to her on the bench across from the witness stand right as she was beginning her rant, and he had to stay for all of it. _Only Hange, _he thought was an internal smirk.

"Oh Levi, this is so exciting!" Hange was saying, practically bouncing up in down in her seat. "We've haven't had a war crimes trial here in over a hundred years! I wonder who in the Garrison committed them. How do you commit war crimes against Titans, I wonder? Goodness, this is so stupid! This should be an in-house hearing, not an open court ceremony! I have better things to do than sit here and listen to soldiers talk about how Titans are humans too and we shouldn't be killing humans. Didn't we already decide that they weren't to be considered _homosapiens_? I was sure we did…"

Yes, after much debate the military had concluded that the Titans weren't human, regardless of their origins, and where to be treated in the same mannerisms as before. Levi had agreed with the ruling and the matter had dissolved, but perhaps the ruling had been overturned? Levi didn't know. He tuned into the conversation behind him, two women from the civilian population whispering about the trail.

"My brother's in the Military Police, he's one of the investigators. Apparently there's this Garrison captain in charge of the regiment of the Front Guard that was to attack the Titans breaching in Trost yesterday, and he was supposed to lead them into battle."

"What happened?"

"Apparently he ordered them to stand down. This was right after the messenger coming from the battle told him that all the guards already at the outer gates were dead and over twenty Titans were approaching the city. The Front Guard was deployed without them, and half of the three regiments died before it was over."

"That's horrible. Where was the Special Operations Squad?"

"Receiving news that the Garrison was getting slaughtered. They were supposed to wait until the rest of the units were sent out, but they were told that the Middle Guard was already being called in and took off. Good thing too, they probably saved more lives than were lost. Anyways, their leader's supposed to be testifying today. Her testimony will decide if he gets life imprisonment or the death penalty."

_The death penalty, _Levi mentally echoed. He was somewhat intrigued by the appearance of the captain of the Special Operations Squad, whoever she was. If she was a captain of an elite squadron she had to be good at whatever it was she did, but Levi didn't like making assumptions until he had all the facts at hand. He'd done that only once, with Eren Jaegar, and it had cost him much more than he cared to admit.

_Tomorrow it'll be three years to the day. _

Levi didn't like thinking about it. He'd become more composed as time went on, compartmentalizing things and shrugging off unwanted feelings stemming from what the Corps' shrink had described as guilt and grief. Even still, everyone on his team knew not to bring it up, because bad things usually followed when they did. Levi blinked suddenly, pushing the thought to the very back of his mind before focusing on the judge seated on the bench in front of him. The old man in the uniform slammed his gavel on the table and called the hearing to order.

A guardsman by the door shouted "Bring in the prisoner!" and the room fell silent as the doors burst open with a loud _Bang! _Two muscular Military Policemen dragged a bruised and beaten man into the center of the courtroom and chained him to the post. He was about Levi's age, wearing a permanent scowl and the eyes of what Levi heard Hange compare to "a madman." He glared up at the judge with absolute hatred, which the old man didn't seem to notice as he shuffled papers around before speaking.

"Corporal Indigo Reeves," he announced pompously, staring down at the detained soldier. "You are hereby charged with war crimes against humanity by omission or neglect of duty. How to you plea?"

Corporal Reeves' voice was raspy and cruel, like his face. "Guilty."

The judge cleared his throat, glancing over at Hange and then two other soldiers, all of them sitting on opposite benches in the courtroom. Levi recognized them as Commanders Pixis and Nile Dok with their respective second in commands sitting beside them, making all three of the military branches represented by the top leaders humanity had to offer. Levi realized that though Hange had been summoned to the trial herself she could pick her second in command herself, and she'd brought him with her. _So the summons I got were from Hange, not the Military Police. Interesting. _

Levi didn't like to think that he was the only person set to inherit the position of Commander in Chief after Hange, but there was little her could do about it now. Once Hange's mind was made up it stayed that way, so he tried to focus on the court proceedings at hand. Levi spotted Pixis' second Anka Rheinberger in the seat next to him, but she was his personal guard and strategist, not a captain in the Garrison. He quickly glanced around the room, trying to discern who the mysterious leader of the Special Operations Squad was, but he didn't see any woman in a Garrison captain's uniform. He turned back to the talking judge.

"-on the charges of omission, obstruction of justice and the public endangerment of human life. Corporal Reeves, do you deny these charges against you?"

"_No."_

"And have you agreed to testify to the nature of your crimes in exchange for the removal of the death penalty?"

The hatred in the man's eyes was chilling. _"Yes."_

The judge ignored him, shuffled his papers and looked up at the audience. "People of the court- Commanders of the Military Branches respectively, civilians; the courts have called you here today to oversee the testifying of such a war criminal as this and to authenticate his story in compliance with the law." He turned to Commander Pixis, who rose and bowed respectfully. "Commander Pixis, you are here on behalf of the Garrison division, accompanied by your second in command Anka Rheinberger. We have also served summons to the Captain of your Special Operations Squadron." He peered down through the lenses of his glasses. "Why is she not in attendance?"

Pixis opened his mouth to speak, but his second beat him to it. "Sir!" she replied, saluting as she leapt to her feet. "The captain is currently on temporary leave from the Special Operations Squad due to personal matters. She had just left the city when your summons were received, and will be in attendance tomorrow morning." She paused, thinking. "It could not be helped, but she apologies sincerely for her tardiness."

The judge shrugged and continued on. "Very well. Court is adjourned until tomorrow morning at 8 am, when the captain will make her appearance."

The gavel slammed against wood, and everyone bustled out of the room. Levi was slightly disappointed and a bit annoyed that all he had been summoned for a simple military jury tribunal. He and Hange passed by Pixis and Anka as they exited, who nodded politely before resuming a very hushed and secretive conversation. That caught Levi's attention. He tapped Hange on the shoulder. "I'll be around shortly. There's something I need to do."

Hange shrugged and kept walking. He broke away from her side and detoured past the group, positioning himself behind them as they slowly moved away from the benches. He could hear their entire conversation.

Anka Rheinberger was practically fuming and having trouble keeping her voice down. "Commander, you have to do something!" she demanded, stamping her foot in frustration. "She can't testify here! Not against Reeves, not for the tribunal, not now, not ever! The _Survey Corps_ are overseeing the trial same as we are, they'll recognize her the moment she steps through those doors. P-"

"_Shhh_!" Pixis hushed her, striding in front and glancing back over his shoulder at her. "Keep your voice down, Anka. The captain will be in just as just much trouble if _you_ let her name slip in public as she will if she testifies tomorrow."

"Then do something!" she hissed, gritting her teeth. They passed through the front doors of the courthouse and down the stairs, still talking. Levi had a hard time keeping up with them without giving away his position.

"We promised her that she'd never have to deal with them again, never have to deal with _him,"_ the woman continued._ "_You'll be breaking your word, and she'll be out for blood. These past three years haven't been easy for her, Commander, you _know_ that. Trying to keep up appearances, reinventing an identity from scratch, keeping a blank profile in the city where the Survey Corps pass through a regular basis; there've been too many close calls, so much invested in helping her stay low, and you'd throw it away because there aren't any easy solutions!"

"I can't do anything about it!" Pixis replied grudgingly. "The courts cannot be denied, not by anyone, even me. The political unrest in this civilization has been terrible, and if humanity's own protectors defy the very government that keeps it together there'll be an uprising on our hands. The best we can do is ask that Commander Hange and her second in command be excused from jury duty for tomorrow, and if the captain's identity is discovered we'll transfer her and the Squadron to another district. That's the very best we can do, Anka. I'm sorry."

Anka nodded, still extremely unhappy. "I'll make a couple calls, push a few contacts in the Survey Corps. I studied with Hange in the Trainee Corps; we're friends. I know she'll be happy to be excused from the company of bureaucracy for a day. Levi Ackerman will be more difficult to convince. I don't have any experience with him, and by the looks on his face he seemed openly invested in the trial. Maybe I could bribe the Military Police guarding the courtroom, get them to bar him from the building until she's gone. It'll be tricky, but worth it…"

"Put in a call to Erwin," Pixis added as they rounded the corner and disappeared inside the Garrison's Headquarters, the only place Levi wouldn't dare try to enter uninvited. "He'll want to know about this one."

The Commander and his guardsman disappeared from Levi's sight and he took off in the opposite direction, questions swirling through his mind. _Why is this captain so important, and what's she done to invoke all of this? What's Erwin got to do with her? Why does the Special Operations Squad even have to appear in a war crimes case?_

_What's the Garrison trying to hide?_

**End Chapter 5**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Levi managed to get past the guards at the courthouse with no trouble. In fact, he'd been quite sure one of them looked him dead in the eye as he strolled past- many thanks for the money, Levi took it. He'd gotten to the guards before Anka could (or at least paid them off better than she did) and sat down in open court right beside Hange. The Police Brigade was corrupt, no doubt there, but there was something about working a situation to one's advantage that gave Levi a certain sense of gratification.

He didn't really know why the identity of this Garrison Captain meant so much to him that he would go to such lengths to meet her. Perhaps he was curious as to who could have possibly ranked so high that Pixis leveled them against the Survey Corps Captain himself, or maybe he felt somewhat threatened. It was an odd situation, that he had not met this Special Operations Squad Leader before now. He had been told she liked to keep a low profile, but going to such lengths to seek escape from a court appearance- it made one wonder what the Garrison had to hide, and why it was so important they keep Levi Ackerman out of the loop. Hange didn't seem to know either; she conversed amicably with one of the Garrison foot soldiers passing by without a clue. Levi scowled; he'd know soon enough.

Commander Pixis and his guards were sitting right across from them, on the other side of the courtroom as they had the day before. Levi smirked at Anka's horrified expression and watched her face go white, stiffening rigidly before leaning over to both Pixis and Gustav and whispering in their ears. Pixis pressed his lips into a thin line, but Gustav leapt to his feet. Levi could hear snippets of their conversation over the chaos.

"-we have to stop this! Commander-"

"There is no control over the situation here, Gustav. Even a Commander of an army cannot hinder judiciary proceedings."

"But sir, she'll never- he can't-"

"Silence, Anka! There's nothing we can do but wait it out. Perhaps it's time the Survey Corps knew anyways. It's been five years."

The grim look on the trio's face said it all, but the judge's sounding of the gavel subdued the crowds and their conversations, and everyone sat down uneasily. The criminal Indigo Reeves was brought in, and the testimony began. The manical insanity on the corporal's face was undeniable. Hange leaned over the whispered "I wonder if they've sent a psychiatrist to him yet. I'd diagnose him as a highly-functioning psychopath, based on looks alone." Levi ignored her rambling and tuned into the trial.

"Corporal Reeves," the judge addressed him coolly. "You have agree to testify as to the nature of your crimes in exchange for the removal of the death penalty. Upon hearing your speech the court will analyze the testimony of another witness before deciding the verdict. Do you understand?"

"_Yes." _

The judge nodded. "Very well. Inform the court as to your name, status and orders before the most recent attack on the Trost district."

Reeves turned his eyes on the crowd, and a hush fell over the courtroom. He had the look of a deranged madman, but his voice and nature were so calm it lulled you into a sense of oblivion if you let it. Levi found it astonishing how such a man could have been allowed to wear a uniform.

"My name is Corporal Indigo Reeves of the Garrison Division, in charge of one of the many platoons in the First Wave. Our orders were to march into Trost and put down the Titans who had broken through the wall."

"And did you obey them?"

"No."

"And why is that?"

Reeves licked his lips. "Two other corporals and I, both from the Middle and Rear Guards in the Garrison, were fed up with the bureaucrats ordering the soldiers to their deaths each time Trost was breached. That district should have been evacuated and left to rot years ago, and we found it utterly _pointless_ that so many should waste their lives defending a dying cause."

"Did you act on these emotions affect your judgment during the attack, and if so, what were you actions?"

"We decided that the next time Trost was breached we would ignore the orders given, let some other group die in our team's places. Instead of marching into battle I ordered my group to stay behind and inform the Middle Guards that we needed reinforcements even though the body count was still too low." He smiled wickedly. "If more soldiers died the politicians in Wall Sina would have to notice us and give in to our demands."

"To leave Trost abandoned?"

"To save the lives of their own race."

"And what about the Rear Guard? Were they not on standby?"

"They were, after our news reached the Middle Guard. Corporal Habersham, the Middle Guard leader I conspired with, relayed the news to Corporal Keeling in the Rear Guard. It was a false alarm, but no one other than Keeling knew about it."

The Judge cleared his throat and continued. "Are you aware that had you not called in for reinforcements the one hundred lives lost in Trost that day would not have been taken?"

Reeves' lips curled into another wicked smile. His eyes gleamed sickeningly, and the vein in his neck throbbed. He licked his lips again. "But it got your attention, didn't it? That was the goal, _Your Honor_. To get you lot in your fancy mansions to listen, and see what it is happens to good soldiers who die every day so you can keep your creature comforts!" He lunged at the audience, which jumped even though he was fastened tightly to the pole. He laughed manically. "Don't you see? Fear is the best weapon there is! Without it humanity would never have survived this long. Lives lost that could have been saved for a few measly scraps of flesh are a detriment to our society! I saved you all from yourselves, the horrors of war-"

He continued to rant and rave, and Levi was disgusted. Foam dripped down the corporal's chin, and the judge snapped his fingers at the guards by the door. "Remove him from my courtroom at once!" he demanded angrily. "And find his other conspirators and arrest them immediately! I want them in custody before the hour is out!"

Soldiers raced to do as ordered as murmuring and concerned arouse swept across the courtroom. Not since Eren Jaegar's trial years ago had something this intense taken place. The judge took a while to recover, but he called the trial to order and glared over at Commander Pixis, who looked extremely at ease with the situation. His two guardsmen didn't share his sentiment. Both of them looked furious, and their expressions towards Levi said so. Levi smirked.

"Commander Pixis! Do tell me that your Special Operations Squad Leader is in attendance today. I've had quite a bout of it and wish the end this as soon as possible!"

Pixis frowned. "Yes sir, my Captain is in the building as we speak." He paused, glancing over at Levi and Hange. "Howveer, we've hit a bit of a snag-"

The judge practically burst a vein. "Then solve it, Commander! I haven't got all day!"

Pixis stood his ground. "Your Honor, with all due respect, the position my Captain is taking on the matter, as withal of her missions and actions as Captain of the Garrison's Special Operations Squad, is strictly classified. Her identity has been kept in the dark specifically for her protection and the protection of Humanity. We politely request that her testimony be heard in chambers as to not disrupt the environment-"

The judge silenced Pixis was a snap of his gavel, his eyes narrowed and face a cheery red. He leaned over his podium and practically spat "Request _denied_, Commander _Pixis_! Now bring in the Captain, or I shall hold you and your guards in contempt and ring your entire service on obstruction of justice charges!"

Pixis nodded silently and motioned towards the guards. Anka and Gustav's heads sank into their hands defeated as Levi raised his triumphantly, craning to see the entering Garrison captain. His jaw dropped, his eyes widening in horror as the doors drew open.

Pixis cleared his throat and straightened up stiffly, calling out at the top of his lungs like a severe young soldier following orders.

"People of the Court, I present to you the Captain of the Garrison's Elitest of Elite, the Special Operations Squad Leader _Petra Ral_!"

**So much for a meeting w/ Petra and Levi yet, huh? Sorry guys, that's coming up soon, but maybe not as soon as everyone's expecting. There's some stuff we have to cover first, but I promise, it'll happen!**

**R&R!**

**Rellimmes **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Everything went into slow motion, but that was far too quickly for Levi's taste. He could barely move, let alone speak. He kept his eyes training on Petra in disbelief, only snapping to after the judge slammed his gavel into the podium and she disappeared from his sight. The throng of people, both civilians and soldiers alike, moved as one, standing in Levi's way. He pushed and shoved them, forgetting Hange, forgetting the world around him as he sprinted out of the courtroom and into the halls of the courthouse.

_Petra. Petra's alive. _

He spotted her with Pixis, Gustav and Anka, all standing off to the side with very concerned looks on their faces. Petra had her back turned to him, but she was there, and he shouted her name above the chaos. "Petra!" She couldn't hear him. "Petra!"

The young woman snapped her head around and made eye contact with him, gold on silver, and he reached out towards her. She wasn't real, she couldn't be- hadn't he seen her die? But here she was, standing here safe behind the walls again, so vividly human-

All of a sudden Levi almost collided with a towering wall of orange and white. Barely keeping his temper in check, he stepped back and came face to face with an angry-looking Gustav, who crossed his arm and leered down at him. "This is a private conversation, Captain Ackerman," he muttered gruffly. "The Survey Corps don't have a dog in this fight."

Levi snapped back at him. "You don't understand! That's Petra Ral-"

"I'm fully aware of who that woman is, Ackerman," Gustav replied coolly. They were far enough away from the Pixis and the two women to be out of earshot, and Gustav used this to his distinct advantage. "Go find your Commander. I'm sure she's worried sick about her loose _dog_."

Levi was practically fuming. Gustav hastily glanced back over his shoulder at Anka, who nodded and turned back to Petra before pointing towards the door. Petra nodded in return, said something to Pixis and started to leave with Anka. Levi tried to step past Gustav, but the larger man shoved him back. "I'm sorry Levi, I can't let you through."

"Like hell you can't!" Levi nimbly darted past Gustav, this time succeeding and barreled towards the door. "Petra!"

Gustav whirled around, snatching at Levi's arm but missing. "Someone stop him! He's assaulting the witness!"

Levi's fingertips had barely brushed Petra jacket sleeve when he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side. His vision was a blur as another body collided with his, flipping him around and slamming his into the ground. His head connected with the hardwood floor with a dull _thud! _and his stomach twisted along with his back. He was on the ground staring up at the severe face of Anka Rheinberger, whose fists were raised and eyes maliciously trained on his. _Damn, _Levi thought. _She isn't Pixis' second in command for nothing. _

He groaned and hand immediately flew up to the bruise already forming by his temple. He licked his lips and tasted blood, and he ached all over. He glared up at Anka. "Hell! What was that for?"

She pressed her lips into a firm line. "You were assaulting the witness. Someone had to stop you." She glanced back over at Petra, who stood watching with a confused look on her face. Her left arm was positioned defensively across her body and right fist almost pulled all the way back, like she had been about to punch his lights out. She stared at him like her was a stranger, and looked at Anka with wide golden eyes. "Anka? What's going on?"

The lieutenant commander of the Garrison glanced back at her and nodded towards the door again. "Inter-military politics is all. You should get going, hop that next train. The court won't call you up again, so you're free until next week." She put on a falsely relaxed smile, almost encouraging and hopefully. "Get out of town for a couple of days. Relax. God knows you and your team earned it." She looked back down at Levi, who couldn't find the words to speak. The look in her eyes were dangerous border-lining deadly, and he caught the message loud and clear; _Shut up down and I might reconsider pummeling you. _

Petra frowned, raising an eyebrow at Anka and Gustav before settling her gaze on Levi. It was cold, not at all like her, and it sent chills down Levi's spine. _What the hell is wrong with her? What's she doing? _"Yeah," she replied after a long moment. "I'll do that. See you on Monday."

The door slammed shut behind her.

Even with all the commotion in the hallway the rest of the crowds were gone, and it was just him, Anka, Gustav and Pixis in the lobby. Even the guards from before were gone, and it occurred to him that Anka hadn't paid them off to keep him out. She'd paid them off to make sure he didn't get anywhere near Petra Ral. He'd paid them off for nothing, and they'd gotten off like bandits. _Shoot._

Anka backed off of him and Gustav jerked him to his feet. Levi caught his balance and twisted his arm out of his grasp before glaring at both of Pixis' guards. "What's wrong with the lot of you? Don't you understand what just happened?"

Anka started to speak, but out of nowhere Pixis stepped up into Levi's line of sight. The old man had been observing the entire ordeal from the corner, and the usual friendly twinkle in his eyes was gone. "Ms. Rheinberger and Mr. Gustav know full well what it is you were hoping to accomplish Captain Ackerman, and while I do applaud your efforts I'm sorry to say I ordered them to prohibityour success. I do hope Ms. Rheinberger wasn't overly hard on you; although, I'm afraid that's why I hired her in the first place."

Levi brushed himself off and stared coldly at the old man. "Then you already know who that woman you promoted to Captain is." He pointed towards the locked door. "That's _Petra Ral_, one of the most elite soldiers in the Survey Corps' Special Operations Squad. She's supposed to be _dead._" 

Pixis nodded, falsetto-ly cheery. "Quite right too. Petra Ral is dead. But I'm afraid that woman you accosted it's the Petra Ral you're thinking of."

Levi's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What the hell are you talking about, old man?"

Gustav's jaw set harshly and he snapped "Hey, watch who you mouth off, Ackerman!" but Anka silenced him. Pixis shrugged and continued. "Yes, Levi, I'm not nearly as eccentric and senile as you in the Scouting Legion give me credit for. I did promote Petra Ral to Captain of my elite operations squad, but she's not the person you remember I'm sorry to say. The young woman who was a part of your squadron five years ago is, as you so eloquently put it, dead."

Levi's face contorted with confusion. "But that's Petra Ral, in that courtroom, testifying against that soldier."

"Yes, it is."

"But you just said she's dead."

"I did."

"Then how in the hell did-"

Pixis sighed and shook his head, effectively silencing the younger man. "I'm not at liberty to say, Captain. You really should take it up with your Commander Hange Zoe. She would know more about it than I do, and not be bound by confidentiality-"

Anka spoke up. "Actually, sir, she's not."

Pixis raised a bushy eyebrow at his second in command. "What?"

The lieutenant commander bit her lower lip. "Petra Ral's file was removed from Survey Corps possession five years ago. Not even Hange Zoe has access to that sort of privileged information."

"And where is it now?"

"Back at headquarters, in the classified section, sir."

Pixis sighed again. Levi assumed he would have run his hands through his hair, if he had any. "I suppose I did order that, didn't I? Who in the Corps would have access to it, then?"

Anka had to think for a moment. "Commander Erwin, sir."

Levi's jaw dropped. "Erwin? What does he have to do with all this?"

Pixis frowned thoughtfully, almost regretfully. "Quite a bit, actually. My, that was a long time ago, wasn't it?... but it can't be helped now." He turned back to Levi. "Apologies, Captain. Do go find your Commander Hange, and if you wish to pursue the matter you can both go talk to Erwin. He'd know more about the topic than I."

He turned to Gustav and Anka, who nodded, and the trio passed right by Levi as they left, leaving him alone in the empty courthouse without a single word.

Yes, he definitely had to go find Hange now.

**End chapter 7**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

He found Hange Zoe- pardon, _Commander _Hange Zoe- back at Scouting Legion Headquaters. She was just as anxious as he was (just better at handling it) and had taken to pacing around the lobby, and nearly knocked him down when he walked into the room.

"Levi!" she shouted, bounding up and him and shoving a note of paper in his face. "Explain to me _this_!"

He glared at her as he snatched over the paper and looked it over. "Well, that was refreshing. No 'hello', no 'where were you', no 'are you ok, Levi?' People are going to start talking."

Hange glared at him and put her hands on her hips, clearly unimpressed. "Do you know what that is? _Do_ you? _That_, dear _captain_, is a letter from Commander _Pixis_ of the _Garrison_ practically _screaming_ for your _removal_ as my second in _command_ because you _attacked _their star witness at the _trail_!"

Levi slammed the paper down and finally let his temper get the best of him. "Don't you even care that their _star witness_ is Petra Ral? You know, your _friend_ who's supposed to be _dead_?"

Hange lost it. "Of course I care, you moron!" Her hands flew up into the air and she promptly burst into tears, taking off her glasses and wiping her over and over again with the corner of her shirt. "You think I don't have questions that need answering? Comments I have to make? Concerns for her well-being I need addressed? The last thing I want to hear about right now is me not caring, Levi Ackerman, so you need to shove it where the sun doesn't shine and go take a walk!"

The poor Commander turned away and tried drying her eyes (to preserve what was left of her dignity, Levi thought, assuming she cared if she had any at all), but that failed and she ended up sitting in one of the chairs in the corner weeping all over again. "I don't even know what going on! I have no hypothesizes, no data, not anything to go on, and dead people are coming back to life in the middle of the worst military trial in the history of humanity and I don't even know what to do first!"

Levi frowned, sat down next to her and handed the letter from Pixis back to her. "You don't have to know what to do," he replied bluntly, ignoring her confused look. "Because I do."

Erwin Smith's house wasn't far from headquarters. In fact, it was only a couple miles from the place. Ever since Erwin had run afoul with the Military Police and been accused of murder he'd kept his distance from public life, even though he'd lost since rid himself of the charges. Still, Levi visited on occasion (though it was rare these days) and knew exactly how to get there. To his surprise Hange did too, but he knew than to ask a question he didn't want to know the answer to and steered clear of _that _conversation. He marched right on up to Erwin's doorstep and slammed his fist on it three times.

"Erwin open up, I know you're in there!" Levi yelled at the top of his lungs, not caring who heard him. "You only have one arm old man, but you're not deaf and disabled!"

Right on cue the door swung open and Erwin appeared, raising an amused bushy eyebrow. "Old man?" he chuckled, letting them both in. "You've come up with better insults than that, Levi."

Hange laughed, but Levi didn't crack and smile. He walked right on in and stood in the center of the foyer, crossing his arms and scowling. "We need to talk. Now." The smile on Erwin's face died instantly, and he ushered them into a seat in his living room. Hange sat down on the couch, but Levi remained exactly where he was. Erwin did as well. "What about?"

Levi hesitated and set his jaw, swallowing hard. "Petra Ral."

That stopped Erwin cold. The older man looked visibly shaken and his skin paled several shades, but he covered it with a faked expression of reverie. "Ah, Petra Ral. The young woman from your first Squad. What about her?"

Levi's face flushed red, and he clenched his fist. "Don't bullshit me Erwin, Pixis told me to come to you specifically. Named you by name, told me to go find you if I wanted answers, which I do, so start talking-"

Erwin raised his hands defensively. "Look Levi, I don't know what you're talking about. Petra Ral's dead-"

"Yes, I'm fully aware of that!" Levi spat bitterly. "But that doesn't explain how Hange and I saw her standing in the middle of a courtroom testifying to the guilt of Indigo Reeves and becoming Commander of the Garrison's Special Ops Squad!"

The former Survey Corps commander paled again, and he turned away, swearing to himself. "I was hoping it wasn't her squad. Damn, this changes things-"

"So you knew?" Hange interjected, her huge brown eyes widening in surprise. "You knew she was alive, and you didn't think enough to tell us?"

"I knew what would happen if I did!" Erwin snapped back defensively. "There's more to this story than both of you realize, and I'll be damned if I decided that peace of mind was worth more than saving another person's life!"

Levi was livid. "I watched her _die_, Erwin! I heard her neck snapped, saw the blood seeping into the ground! I watched as each and every one of my teammates met horrible deaths in that forest, so cut me some slack if I can't give you to _benefit_ of the _doubt!_" He spat out each word like it was poisoned, and Hange cringed, but Erwin stood his ground.

"I had orders, Levi," he replied coolly, straightening up rigidly. "I made a promise to her, and I fully intended on keeping it until you two showed up asking questions. What do you want me to say?"

"Answers!" was the first thing out of Hange's mouth. She stood up and walked over to Erwin, a look crossed between sympathy and demand in her eyes. She glared at Levi, who knew better than to blow up at Erwin again, and led him over to the seat beside her. "I think we deserve an explanation, Erwin. Petra was our friend."

Levi stayed where he was, away from the couch and standing with his arms folded across his chest and a scowl on his face. Erwin finally let himself go and slid his hand through his hair. When he spoke his voice was rough-edged and calloused. "What do you want to know?"

"Everything."

He sighed and shook his head. "I don't know where to begin…"

Hange placed a reassuring hand on Erwin's shoulder. "The beginning is good."

Erwin snorted. "The beginning?" He looked at Levi. "You ought to remember the beginning. You were there. You said it yourself, you watched her die, and to some I suppose she did. She's not the person you remember, Levi, you have to understand that-"

Levi's lips curled into a sneer. "Just get to it, old man."

The former Commander sighed. "You now know that Petra Ral didn't die in that forest on your mission with Eren Jaegar. What you don't know is how." He kept his gaze trained on Levi. "She was badly injured when the Female Titan slammed her into that tree, but she wasn't dead. You left her lying there thinking she was, and I don't blame you for that. You retreated back behind Wall Maria after that, mourned the loss of your comrades and that was that. Petra Ral woke up a day later, in Titan infested territory with no memories of who she was, how she got there and why. All she had was a 3DGM and her training, which she still had because only the personal memories were missing, but now the training she received in the Trainee Corps and the experience in the Special Operation Squad were now basic instinct. She didn't know where it came from, but it was there."

"How?" Hange asked, curiously getting the better of her. Erwin shrugged. "None of the doctors could ever figure out why. One of them called it severe retrograde amnesia, which retains knowledge accumulated over the years as well as muscle memory while the actual details of a person's life are missing. Most of the time its temporary, but in rare cases brought along by stress and physical trauma it becomes permanent. Petra Ral is such a rare case."

"How did she get back to Wall Maria?" Levi asked sullenly, eyes narrowing. "She would have had to cross miles of lost territory; no one can survive that alone."

"Maybe that's where the amnesia saved her life," Erwin replied speculatively. "Even without personal memories Petra still knew she was fighting for her life, but she accepted this as normal because it was the first thing she could actively comprehend. I don't know how many Titans she killed in the three days into took for her to fight her way back to Wall Maria, but she took down three in under ten minutes before repelling herself up to the Wall. The Garrison guards found her, recognized her uniform and brought her to a hospital. Commander Pixis was informed of the development, and he summoned me as well. She was out for over 24 hours before we were cleared to interview her."

"Why weren't we informed?" Hange demanded. "We were her friends!"

"And risk traumatizing her further? No, the doctors forbade it. We went in alone. I talked to her, asked her questions, Pixis too. She still looked like a soldier, acted like a soldier, and still wanted to be a soldier. Violence and war was all she knew at that point, I reckoned. Pixis had no qualms with taking her back into the military, as did I, but she told us right off the bat she wasn't going back into the Survey Corps."

Levi's eyes widened, shocked. "_What_?"

Erwin sighed again. "Levi, she heard the nurses talking long before Pixis and I entered the picture. She knew she was supposed to be dead, thought you had abandoned her, and she wasn't about to let anyone who'd left her to die have the benefit of realizing their mistake." He paused, thinking. "Her first memorable contact with the military was with the Garrison, and she was in no mood to risk her life again- at least, not in the Corps. She saw the Garrison, knew what they stood for, and saw how they helped the people. She thought she could make the world a better place from behind a wall, not standing in front of it, and that was that. Pixis personally made sure she was put through the most rigorous tests in Retraining, and even with that she came out on top. She didn't change her mind once."

Hange's face contorted in confusion. "How in the world did that girl become a captain, then? The Garrison doesn't idly hand out promotions, especially to soldiers with amnesia."

Erwin shrugged. "Ms. Ral had extra training, the high kill count and experience that the Garrison needed. We don't know how many Titans she slaughtered outside of the wall before she came here, but it was enough to convince Pixis that she was over-qualified to take charge of a squad. I helped him create a domestic version of the Special Operations Squad, and Petra headed it up. She's kept herself off the radar ever since, of her own free will. I had nothing to do with that."

He paused, hesitating. "She's good at her job, Levi, Hange, arguably the best field commander the Garrison has to offer-"

Levi slammed his fist down on the table, silencing the former commander at once. "Damnit Erwin, this isn't about the Garrison. You lied to us about everything! You sat back and watched all of us grieve for our fallen comrades, and did _nothing!_ You had no right-!"

"I had every right!" Erwin snapped back, eyes blazing. "What was I supposed to do, go behind her back and let word get out that the mighty Survey Corps left a man behind? In the field, alone, to fend for themselves? Petra Ral's memories might have been erased, but she was still fully conscious and aware of every decision she made! The only reason I didn't tell you this sooner was because she asked me not to, and as a soldier and her superior officer I respected her wishes."

Levi was ready to strangle Erwin, but Hange retrained him- barely. "Levi stop!" she shouted, latching onto his arms and pulling him off of the one-armed man. "He's right! You remember what it was like five years ago! The Survey Corps were about to be disbanded altogether, we were constantly being accused of treason! The moment anyone with any political power found out the Scouts left a soldier out there alone, alive or not, they would have had all of our necks and everyone behind the Walls would have rioted! All that matters is that Petra's alive! Isn't that what you wanted?"

Levi pushed Hange off and didn't attack Erwin again, but the look on his face said it all. "Not this! He should have told us, Hange! _They_ should have told us! We had the right to _know_!"

He stepped towards Erwin, who was standing as Levi was now and didn't move an inch, even when the shorter man got up in his face. "You're a bastard, Erwin Smith, and a fool. I won't forget thuis, and I sure as hell won't forgive either."

Erwin stood his ground, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Hange stood off to the side watching, and anyone could tell that even with only one arm Erwin could probably toss Levi Ackerman through a wall and not break a sweat. The former soldier's lips pressed into a thin, cold line. "I think you need to leave, Ackerman."

Levi sneered and stepped away, not bothering to make eye contact with a worried Hange and showed himself out. "My thoughts exactly." He glanced back over his shoulder at the nervous woman. "See you back at headquarters."

The door slammed shut behind him.

Erwin's shoulders sagged immediately, and he sank back down onto the couch in exhaustion. Hange went over and curled up beside him, patting him on the shoulder reassuringly. "He'll be fine, Erwin," she consoled him. "He's just taking it a bit hard. You know how he was after his squad was killed. Locked himself up in his office and didn't come out for a week. And that was when he assumed all of them were dead. Imagine having to write a death certificate for your own teammates, after being together for years, and finding out you were wrong and had accidentally left them out there to die. He'll be down for a while, but he'll bounce back, he always does."

Erwin shook his head regretfully. "Not this time."

Hange frowned. "And why not?"

The blonde haired man sighed and shook his head again. "You really had no idea, did you?"

The woman next to him raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "About what? Petra? Yes, I thought we'd made that very clear-"

"No, about Levi." He nodded towards the closed front door. "He blamed himself for her death, even after all these years. He hasn't picked a new second in command from his new squad because he's worried that if he does he's letting the old team go, and thus he's letting _her _go. That's not something he's ready for, Hange. He might not ever be ready for that."

The female soldier's eyes blinked slowly, widening. "You don't think-"

"I don't think, I _know_."

"But you never would have allowed it, not even with us-"

"You know that, I know that, even Levi knows that, but that didn't stop him from wishing, and later mourning. He would never have acted, I'm sure of it, but still… I was worried for a while though, even considered mandatory transferring her out. Turned out I didn't need to, but still…"

He let his voice trail off. Hange sighed, and casually rested her head on Erwin's shoulder as they stared into space together. "You might be right," she admitted finally, after a long time. "He probably won't forgive you for that." She paused, thinking, before looking up at Erwin. "What ever happened to that death certificate? You know, the one Levi submitted to you? You must've known by then she was alive, she was only missing four days… Oh God Erwin, you didn't leave her legally dead, did you?"

"Of course not!" Erwin protested at once. "We didn't hide anything from the military, not after we found out she was alive. That report was destroyed the moment I got it into my hands." He let his face fall, and stared out into the flames burning in his fireplace with Hange. "I burned it myself."

**Well, there's the logistics of the cover up of Petra's life (and death), and now Levi knows she's alive too. How'd you like that snippet at the end? **

**So I hear you like 'vulnerable, desperate Levi'. Ok, ok, that's cool. We can do that. It'll have to be a mix though, because I'll get people mad if I portray him as emotional all the time. He's gonna have to be a mix of hopeful and calloused as all get-out, because seriously, he's got to keep running a squad too ya know!**

**How do ya like them apples, ****heartlesstheif?**** I quite enjoy your reviews, do keep them coming! And the rest of you, for that matter. The more the merrier!**

**R&R!**

**rellimmes**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Levi had returned to headquarters and seethed overnight, much to the confusion and dismay of his subordinates. Connie, Jean and Sasha had all resolved to find out what exactly was wrong with their _heichou_, and only ceased their mission when threatened with cleaning out the stables for the next week. Armin, Eren and Mikasa hadn't bothered to interfere, thank the gods, and knew better than to get involved. Eren out of all of them seemed to know that something wasn't right with him, but refrained from asking.

Eren didn't know about Petra yet. He'd taken her death hard as well, blaming himself for the deaths of his former teammates because it was he who had sent them out on that expedition in the first place, but Levi had reassured him countless times he was wrong. Now that Petra was alive everything was going to get stirred back up again, old memories and wounds that were supposed to have been banished and healing over time. Levi wondered how he was going to break the news to the team, if he was going to at all. As far as Levi knew only Eren had met Petra. Perhaps they didn't all need to know.

He'd decided around midnight that he was going to find this Special Operations Squad, the one the Garrison had put together, and find out exactly how much they knew. He'd bribed a couple low-level security guards in the Garrison's headquarters to fetch him the classified files he needed, and spent the entire night pouring over every detail in them he could find. He'd come up with little he didn't already know, but it was enough to piece together a decent picture.

Only three groups of people knew about Petra's status; the Garrison unit that had recovered her at the Wall (and been transferred out to the Utopia district the same month, most likely to keep them quiet), Pixis and his two other commanders Anka Rheinberger and Gustav, and Erwin Smith. It hadn't been common knowledge that Petra was alive, but it wasn't kept a total secret either. She'd never been pronounced dead publically, and no one outside of the Survey Corps or the Garrison knew about her origins. Anyone could have asked around her village or talked to her father and discovered the truth, but no questions were asked and no one doubted her story- she'd been out of military commission a while due to medical leave (which was technically true) and went through retraining to become fit for duty again.

As far as Levi could tell, there was no 'cover-up', or even a lie. She'd been under his nose all along, stationed right in Trost at Wall Maria. They could have walked right past each other and he wouldn't have noticed. He'd been too blind to see what was right in front of him.

The Stationary Guard's main headquarters in Wall Maria were a few miles outside Hermina, and it took Levi half a day to get there. He'd been let into the facility with little difficult, staing he had an appointment with one of the captains there. Being labeled 'Humanity's Finest' wasn't a title Levi openly enjoyed, but it had its advantages. This was one of them.

He came across a dark-skinned young man in a Garrison uniform and stopped him. He looked familiar, though Levi couldn't place him. Maybe he had one of those faces. The squad leader showed him his credentials and asked him where he could find the Special Operations Squad. "I need to speak with a couple of the members," he told him sternly, straightening his shoulders out with what he hoped looked like authority. "It's urgent, about their squad leader."

The tall young man frowned and shrugged, eyes narrowing suspiciously. Levi could tell he wasn't stupid; he knew something was off. "Why don't you just ask her yourself?" he replied, crossing his arms. "She's training one of team members in the courtyard now."

Levi nodded. "I will then." He paused, looking around. He'd never actively explored the Garrison's headquarters before, as he'd never had the need to and usually didn't venture in at all if he could help it. "Where's the courtyard?"

The soldier beckoned towards the southern hall. "Down that way. I'll take you there now." He led Levi down several corridors and past numerous groups of soldiers, who all stopped and stared as he passed by. His guide didn't say anything, but Levi could hear bits and pieces of their conversations.

"Hey, isn't that-"

"-Captain Levi-"

"-Special Operations Squad."

"Humanity's Finest."

"-hear he's cold as ice-"

"-emotionless-"

"-best soldier there is."

"I hear he didn't even have to go through the Trainee Corps."

"Nah, he can't be. He's too short."

"-handsome, isn't he?"

"-wonder what he's doing here-"

"-incident at the courthouse yesterday after the trial-"

"-Petra _heichou_ won't like it."

The last statement got his attention, but the voice who said it and face it belonged to was too far away for Levi pinpoint. The soldier led him down one last hallway before stopping near one of the large doorways leading outside. He opened it and ushered him through, and Levi was confronted with a covered walkway along the sides of the courtyard. Only two soldiers were present, both female, standing out in the open with long bo staffs in their hands. They were sparring out on the grass, with the shorter of the two women firing instructions at the other, who was taller but obviously younger and less experienced.

"Move your feet!" the woman shouted, swinging at her opponent with her staff and nearly whacking her across the face. "You're getting lazy, Jewel, not thinking. I could have impaled you in the stomach twice already, you're leaving your vitals too exposed. Stop worrying about your face and starting focusing on mine- hey now!"

The younger bottle blonde girl swung at her again, this time almost striking her teacher across her ribcage. The older woman barely avoiding the collision by diving over the swipe and blocking it with her staff. "Better, better. Less emotion next time. You're letting me taunt you." This time the woman brought her leg out and snap kicked the girl named Jewel into her side, bringing her down to her knees before sending her sprawling out on her back with a well-placed hit across her chest. "Don't let me get inside your head. You get sloppy that way."

Jewel glared up at her sparring partner, though Levi could tell it was more out of frustration than genuine hatred. Indeed, it was almost grudging respect. "If you'd stop talking, _heichou_, I could probably land a couple strikes."

The woman laughed and stuck her bo staff into the ground. She let her hair fall down from the ponytail she'd had it in, and Levi felt the blood drain from his face. Petra Ral was still exactly as he remembered. He'd seen her in the courthouse, yes, but he'd been in shock then too. Now he could think clearly, and he took in every detail in now that he was up close.

Her hair was longer but still the light ginger she'd always been, her golden-amber colored eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun. She was still short, still Petra, but at the same time she was so different. She stood was an air of authority and command, like she was respectable and to be respected. She fought more strength and fury, less emotion and attachment. A thin white scar jutted out at him, shiny and chilling. It was new, and Levi didn't remember it. The prospect of it coming from her time out in Titan territory terrified him, and filled him with regret. He could see the change in her immediate. She was calculating, merciless, and precise. She wasn't to be submitting to anyone, and it was always on her terms. She was determined and fearless, but there was peace and kindness there as well, not completely gone but only layered and calloused.

Her laugh was still the same, Levi took comfort in noticing. It was soft and melodic, almost free and couldn't be constrained. It almost made him smile- almost.

"Do you want that promotion or not?" she asked, almost teasingly. "You said you don't want to stay here forever, Jewel, and that means working hard to get wherever it is you want to go. And that," she smacked the staff in the palm of her hand "means practice. Hand to hand combat is the most important thing you're going to need if you want to work in civilian affairs, and some civilians aren't friendly. You're going to come across criminals, criminals bigger than you, and you'll need all the help you can get if you want to make it out of that fight in one piece."

She extended her hand and helped her student up to her feet. Jewel smiled gratefully. "But what about rifles, and shooting? Don't the soldiers in civilian affairs use guns instead of 3DMGs?"

Petra shrugged. "I'd think so. No need for the gear, unless you're working in Trost- which you won't be, if I have anything to say about it." She chuckled again, patted her on the back and pointed across the courtyard. "I think we're done for the day. Go get cleaned up. Dinner's in an hour."

Jewel nodded and saluted proudly before running off. "Yes _heichou!" _

Levi had forgotten about the soldier standing next to him, but he remembered when the young man stepped forward and bowed to Petra. "Petra _heichou_!" he saluted quickly, stiffly walking towards her. "I've got a man from the Survey Corps here to see you. Says it's urgent."

It sounded strange and looked strange, the way she received the respectful greeting, like it was more of a friendly wave between equally-placed friends than a sign of respect. Petra looked over at the young man and nodded before glancing over at Levi. He sensed the faint recognition, and a small glimmer of hope rippled through him, but it was gone the moment she turned away. "Thank you Oro," she replied, addressing him cordially. "I'll take it from here. You're dismissed."

The soldier named Oro nodded politely and started to leave, but Petra called after him. "And go find Mason and David, will you? We have a scheduled briefing at eight, and I'm not going to excuse tardiness just because they lost track of time!"

She turned to Levi and frowned, bowing towards him but making no effort to move towards him as he walked across the green to greet her. "Captain Levi Ackerman," she said, folding her arms across her chest and nodding at him. "An honor, to finally meet Humanity's Finest in person. What can I do for you?"

They shook hands cordially, but all Levi wanted to do pull her into a hug and never let her go. He needed to know she was there, that she was real and breathing and safe, but he could do was clasp her hand in his and smile politely, ignoring the painful pit forming at the bottom of his stomach. "Captain Levi's fine," he replied, nodding towards her. He looked around the courtyard, making sure no one was around. "When I dropped by, I wasn't expected you to be here. I was actually preparing to speak with your squad."

Petra shrugged and waved it off. "I originally wasn't. I had planned to take time off, but the trial changed things. I'll be staying here in town until it's over. You can deal directly with me-"she raised an arched eyebrow "-unless, of course, my absence had been what you were counting on."

"Oh no!" Levi quickly said, waving his hand and brushing the comment away. It was practically shaking, and he hastily tried to steady it. "It's just, I… I hadn't been expected, and it's extremely sudden-"

Petra laughed, the musical laughter that made Levi's spine shiver. "That's ok," she reassured him. "I suppose I'd be embarrassed too."

That stopped him, and he felt his eyebrows instinctively rise in confusion. "What?"

Petra chuckled to herself, and she beckoned him forward. "If you'd walk with me, I could still talk to you. I've got a meeting after dinner, and there's paperwork I need to get in order before that happens." He nodded and followed her across the courtyard and back inside, towards what he assumed was her office. "I'm sorry, I was ordered not to discuss the trial outside of court," she continued, idly chatted like it was perfectly normal. "I can't even talk to my own squad about it, and they were there when it happened. I understand the Survey Corps are anxious to know more about Reeves' conspiracy and if it affects the efforts within their branch, but I'm afraid your questions will have to wait…"

Levi frowned, startled. "Wait a moment- You think I'm coming.. here, to your headquarters… to ask you about the war crimes trial?"

Petra nodded absently as she unlocked her office and walked over to her file cabinet. "That was what you had needed to ask me directly afterwards yesterday, wasn't it? I do apologize about Gustav and Anka. They've had their fair share of assassin run-ins working for Pixis and his family, and I suppose you startled them."

Levi snorted humorlessly. "It's not you who needs to be apologizing. I think your friend Anka gave me a concussion."

"She can do much worse," Petra replied, chuckling again as she sat down at her desk with a random file and ushered Levi into the chair across from her. "Anyhow, like I said, my hands are tied until after the trial, and I'd prefer it if you didn't speak with my squad until then. I can go over my testimony, of course, but still…"

Reality struck Levi like a blow to the back of the hand- a lot like the flooring he got from Anka. He didn't remember him. She was captain of her own squad, with as much or more authority than he had, and she led a completely different life. His gut twisted, and if he'd been any less of a man he'd have sobbed. It was like losing his former squad all over again, except a lot worse. He bit the inside of his check and drew blood, letting the coppery taste fill his mouth without resent. He was almost at a loss for words, and he struggled to hold himself together.

She thought he was here about the trial. He'd play along with her, just for a couple more minutes with her. He had to know she was ok. He used to be her superior; she had been his responsibility once, hadn't she? One conversation couldn't hurt.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Um, yes, going back over your testimony would be good. My commander wants to get this matter settled as soon as possible.." His voice trailed off, and his jerked back to reality again when Petra started laughing. "What?"

She smiled broadly, so familiarly it hurt. "You look tense. Pressure from higher up?"

Levi sank back and shrugged. "I suppose."

She shook her head and shuffled a couple of papers. "I get it. It's been a long couple of days."

_More than you know, _Levi thought, but he focused on her again. "So, testimony. Could you go over the basic details? I'm not the judge, so I won't ask the annoying questions."

Petra nodded and leaned back into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and thinking. "My squad was sent out an hour into the attack on Trost. I'd received the call from the frontlines and sent them out in pairs of two, one set to the ground to survey the damage and the other to interview the wall security guards on duty. They came back, informed me that reinforcements from the Middle Guard are advancing from Hermiha and the Rear Guard is on standby. Considering the size of the breach and how many were dead at the time- one hundred- I made the call and sent them down to keep the Front Guard from advancing too far into the chaos. Rookies trying to be heroes, you know? It wasn't until later we found out the Middle Guard was already there, and that half of the Front Guard that had been commissioned were dead."

The young woman's face darkened suddenly, a look Levi didn't recognize as hers. Her golden eyes changed dramatically, and anger sparked inside of them. She couldn't stop more soldiers from dying, and even if it hadn't been her that had sent them pummeling to their deaths she felt responsible. It was a feeling Levi knew well, and it scared him that she had hundreds of lives weighing down on her shoulders as opposed to his four. She was no longer the happy and optimistic soul that had been the heart of his squad- had she really changed that much?

"I personally oversaw the last of the Titans fall- killed half of them myself, actually, not that anyone was counting," she continued, fingering an unfamiliar-looking necklace. It was a simple wooden rose, painted red, obviously the Garrison's call sign. Levi never remembered Petra buying anything like that for herself. Perhaps it had been a gift, but from whom? A strange sensation boiled at the bottom of Levi's stomach, and he ignored it. He didn't recognize that neither. "We were too late, after a hit like that, but once we received the news that someone had called in the Middle and Rear Guards without authorization we were sent to scour the ranks. Find out who had given the orders, and why."

Levi raised an eyebrow. "Your squad was sent to bring Reeves in?"

Petra shrugged. "Maybe not Reeves specifically, but find out who was responsible. Yes, it's technically the Military Police's job, but Pixis didn't trust them to do a thorough job, not with all the political agendas in Sina's ranks. We're not called the Special Operations Squad for nothing, Captain Levi. I'm sure you've have certain orders you had to carry out that weren't exactly your original job."

She looked at him omnisciently, like she knew exactly what he did even though she couldn't remember her time doing it herself. It was unnerving, and Levi didn't like it. He decided he'd had enough and stood up, walking over to her desk and holding out a tense hand. "I'm sure I have. I probably need to get going. Dinner hour's almost over, and I'm sure you have a meeting to run."

Petra smiled as she shook his hand firmly, genuinely this time, lighting up her face and returning her to normal, even if it was for just a brief moment. "Thank you. You have everything your superiors need?"

Levi nodded, swallowing hard. It was a white lie at worst. "Yes, I'm sure this'll be sufficient. Thank you for your time, Captain Ral."

He headed for the door, but Petra's voice stopped him. "It's Petra, if you don't mind," she replied, chuckled mirthly. "And you're welcome. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask."

Levi nodded and left. "I will."

**The chapter you all have been waiting for! Now, to assuage ****zeGuy** **and other reader's worries- yes, this is Rivetra fic. No, ****zeGuy****, there are no such things as stupid questions, and thank you for wanting to check the SNK Fanfiction site for my story. I like you. **

**Funny some of you should ask this, but you're right- I'm not pumping these out of a whim. At this point I have 5 chapters lined up to publish, but I'm holding off publishing a lot of them at once until I get a few more done and replenish my supply. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning this beautiful story- who do you think I am?**

**TTFN & R&R!**

**-rellimmes **


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

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><p>Petra watched as all four members of her squad filed into her office and sat down, two in the two chairs directly across from her desk and two on the couch behind them. She snatched the files off of her desk and handed passed them to Oro, who began distributing them.<p>

"Alright team, I've received notice that we're all temporary on leave until after the trial's over. You all might be called back on stand by the defense, but-"

"I thought Reeves pled guilty," David said, interrupting her. Petra nodded. "He did, but his lawyer's going for an insanity plea to get him moved to a secure hospital ward instead of prison. It's complete bogus, but some people think there's a chance he'll get off. You all might be called as witnesses considering we were affected by Reeves' and his fellow officers' conspiracy, so we're on paid leave while they get this sorted out. I, on the other hand, will not be appearing back on the stand because I've already testified and the judge dislikes having to recall witnesses."

She swallowed hard. "As a result, I will be catching the first train out of the city tomorrow morning. My father's health has taken a turn for the worse, and I've already taken leave as it is. I'm afraid I'm leaving you on your own for this one."

Jewel leapt to her feet, babbling angrily. "You can't do that! What'll we do if something happens, we won't be able to contact you-"

"Jewel, let her finish," Mason lectured, placing a calming hand on her shoulder. "Petra _heichou _has her reasons, and the decision's already been approved. She got permission from the higher-ups." He looked over at Petra. "Isn't that right?"

Petra nodded. "It is." She frowned reluctantly, spreading her hands apart. "I'm sorry Jewel, but my mind's already been made." She looked over at Oro, who stared back with reaffirming dark eyes. "I'm putting Oro in as head until I get back. It's only going to be for two days, I'll be back before you know it."

She smiled at them all encouragingly. "It's a good probability none of you will have to be called to testify, so relax. Take a couple days to yourselves, have fun. Everyone on this side of the wall knows you need a break." She glanced up at the clock. "You're all dismissed. Curfew's at midnight."

The train to her village was long, and Petra practically paced all the way there in the small compartment she'd been given. It was the middle of the week, so most of the businessmen and women were either traveling in first class or taking the afternoon train. Very few people besides soldiers took the trains in the early hours of the morning, and no one was riding in coach class like Petra was. She had the entire compartment to herself, and she'd been grateful for the rarity of peace and quiet, but she'd partially wished there had been _someone_ to talk to. She felt invisible, almost like a ghost- which, she assumed, she kind of was.

She entertained herself with imagining what her squad members were doing in that exact moment. Oro was probably reading (a favorite pastime of his) and David was with Mason trolling the city. Jewel might have gone out on the town with a female friend of hers from the Middle Guard, but Petra didn't know what it was she did on her time off and didn't want to know. Some things were better left unsaid.

Her thoughts kept straying back to her father, and she'd shudder involuntarily. She'd have skipped the trial altogether if she could and gone to him, but she couldn't, and she regretted it entirely. Mr. Ral had been ill for quite some time, partly due to his smoking and partially due to stress. He had constantly worried about his daughter while she was in the Survey Corps (though she couldn't remember) and worried even more now that she was a captain.

"You're more likely to be in danger," he'd told her. Petra had failed to reassure him that she was safer in the Garrison than she was in the Survey Corps. She would have to try harder to get it in his head if he brought it up again.

But this visit wasn't about her. This was about him, and their family. She wondered how he was doing, and if he'd stopped sneaking out with his hospital mate Kenny for a smoke.

The hospital in her village was renowned for being one of the best of its kind. With a level of cleanliness rivaled only by the state clinic in Wall Sina and a success rate of almost 75%, it housed patients and brought in new ones around the clock. Hundreds flocked to it from all across the walls, some of them so ill they'd have rather died on the trip because it gave them one final hope. Petra had been thrilled when her father had voluntarily checked himself in, and surprised when he was housed in the Critical Care Ward. She had wondered if Anka had pulled any string once she'd found out about her friend's father's condition, but she denied it. Perhaps it was better left unknown.

Mr. Ral could be found in one of two places- outside in the open air enjoying a smoke or in his hospital bed swearing off the habit forever. Thankfully, today he could be found in the later, chatting with a pretty brunette nurse about the weather. He immediately brightened up when Petra entered through the door.

"Petra!" he rasped as loudly as he could, choking down a cough as he tried to sit up. "How's my beautiful daughter? Come, let me look at you!"

The young woman smiled and embraced her father. "It's good to see you too, Papa," she replied, grasping his hand tightly before sitting down in the empty chair next to him. "I'm sorry I'm late. The train had to make an emergency stop near Stohess." She kissed him lightly on the cheek. "How are you? Anything new?"

Mr. Ral shrugged. "Not much. I did receive a visit from Widow James today. Look she brought a plate of her cookies! Try one!"

Petra politely waved it away. "Maybe later, Papa, I just ate. How is Widow James? Still pining over the husband she never had?"

Petra's father chuckled, wheezy as an asthmatic dog as he passed the cookies off to the nurse and shooed her from the room. "You know it. Poor old woman; never married, hits her head and suddenly _poof!_ Now she's a widow dead set on buying a bakery. She's makes for good company when I'm not on treatments. Pills up to my eyeballs, you wouldn't believe the pile I had to take this morning-!" He stopped and looked at the smiling face of his daughter and chuckled weakly. "I must be boring you." He straightened up a bit higher and blinked, smiling up at Petra. "So, tell me. How is your squad?"

Of course Mr. Ral knew all about his daughter's squad and could tell you all of their names if you asked. He had only met one of them, because David was from their village himself (but had never met Petra until he'd been put in her squad, but was one of the brats Petra's mother had babysat after Petra joined the military), and he knew just about everything there as to know about them and loved hearing about all the escapades Petra wrote about in her letters. Even after she'd lost all of her memories and took on an entirely different, less optimistic persona that had never changed.

Petra sighed. "It's been difficult. I made a call on something about a week ago, when Trost was breached. Turns out, some people in the Garrison decided to start revolting around that time too, and a whole lot more people died that shouldn't have. I had to testify at a war crimes trial, and then the Survey Corps came around and started asking questions I didn't have the answers to- oh, you won't believe who they sent to interrogate me!"

Mr. Ral snorted. "I hardly think the Survey Corps would be able to interrogate my daughter, the captain of the most elite squadron in the entire Rear Guard of the Stationary Corps. You would be interrogating them even if you were strapped in a chair surrounded by five dozen soldiers!"

You can clearly see how highly Mr. Ral thinks of his daughter.

Petra chuckled mirthlessly and shook her head. "Not when your interrogator is the captain of the most elite squadron in the entire Survey Corps. Ever heard of Levi Ackerman?"

In that moment Mr. Ral's face went white, and Petra almost missed it had she not stopped laughing when she did. "Papa?" she asked, waving her hand in front of his stone-faced look. "What's wrong?"

Now, Mr. Ral is not stupid. Quite the opposite, actually. He himself was a retired scout from the Survey Corps, and his daughter, being the bright intellect of a captain she was, took after him. But the second he heard that name drop from Petra's lips his blood ran cold, and he had to keep a straight face. He remembered a conversation with an old friend, a talk almost five years old, like it was yesterday.

_Five years ago…_

"_I know about your conversation with Levi Ackerman two days ago," Commander Erwin said rigidly, getting down to business. "Now sir, I have only the highest respect for you and the work you've done in the Corps, but you need to know something."_

_Mr. Ral's eyebrows rose curiously. "Yes, and what's that?"_

_Erwin bit his lip uncomfortably. "I understand you've been brought up to speed on your daughter's condition. Am I correct?"_

"_Completely. Petra's lost all of her memories. She's still the same, but she doesn't remember her life before a few days ago."_

"_Then I can say this with utmost confidentiality. Your daughter has requested a change in military branches. She feels like her squad abandoned her in the field without a care-"_

"_They did, sir!" Mr. Ral was indignant, and vocal about it. "I talk to her superior officer only two days ago, and he doesn't bother to be enough of a man to inform me that he left my daughter for dead!"_

"_Sir, if you please." Erwin was polite but firm. "Petra's transferring into the Garrison after she's cleared for active duty. Commander Pixis will enroll her into the Re-training Program for soldiers who are either coming out of retirement or been on medical leave too long. Her past as a Survey Corpsman will be entirely hidden, and as a result of her time in the field and prior experience killing Titans already she'll most likely be joining the Rear Guard."_

_Mr. Ral nodded approvingly. "The most elite branch in the Garrison. I thought she would."_

_The younger blonde man swallowed hard. "She's requested that her status as alive be kept from public record- and from her former team. As far as I'm concerned her file will never be marked as 'deceased', but some people won't know that. They'll think he's dead, including her former captain, and I'd like you to help me keep it that way."_

_The older gentleman frowned in consideration. "Does she know who he is? I mean, have you told her-"_

"_She knows that she was a part of the Special Operations Squad, but we haven't told her who the captain is, and she doesn't _want_ to know. As far as both of you are concerned, the name Captain Levi Ackerman has never come up between you." The look in Erwin's eyes was pleading. "I'm not a fan of this plan, I'll have you know, but it's my responsibility as Petra's current commander to make sure her wishes are respected. I'm asking you as a father, not a former soldier, to keep this between us."_

_Mr. Ral nodded without hesitation. "I'll do it."_

"Papa…Papa- Papa!"

Mr. Ral snapped to attention and smiled profusely. "So sorry dear, I must have zoned out. What was it you were saying?"

Petra's eyes narrowed slightly, but she let it go. "I was asking if you'd heard of him. Levi Ackerman, captain of the Survey Corps Special Operations Squad? Ring any bells?"

Her father shrugged and chuckled, rasping slightly. "A bit. He's what they call Humanity's Finest these days, isn't he?"

Petra nodded. "So they say." She sank back into her seat and frowned thoughtfully. "It was such an odd conversation. I mean, it was fine. He asked me about my testimony as the trial, which was ok because I'd seen him there and he had clearance to hear everything, so I figured repeating it all back to him was just routine. But…"

Mr. Ral coughed and leaned in, pretending to be genuinely interested when he wanted this particular topic to be the furthest thing from his mind. "Yes?"

"It's just.. I don't know, maybe I'm being foolish, but.." Petra's golden eyes told God's truth. "I could have sworn he knew me, Papa. I shook his hand and he looked at me like I was a ghost. He addressed me like he knew me, even when he tried approaching me in the courthouse the day before-"

Mr. Ral's grip on Petra's hand suddenly tightened. "What did you just say?"

Petra almost jumped back, and she winced. "Wow Papa, for someone dying of lung disease you sure have a strong grip! Sheesh-"

"Petra!"

The young woman grimaced and slid her hand out of her father's grasp. "Papa, that hurt."

Mr. Ral blinked, confused for a moment, and then slumped over in defeat. "I'm sorry, dear. I don't know what came over me." He motioned for her to continue. "Go on, I'm listening."

Petra sighed again and shrugged. "It's probably nothing, maybe I'm imagining things. I just thought the meeting was strange, is all. I checked in with a Trainee I met when I was recruiting for my Special Operations Squad, someone I kept in touch with even though he didn't pass the final exam. Papa, he told me he worked with Commander Hange herself, and she didn't order Captain Levi to inquire about anything about the trial, or my testimony."

Mr. Ral shifted around uncomfortably in his hospital bed. "You're right, that's very odd, Petra. You shouldn't worry about it, though." He patted her arm gently. "You have enough on your plate as it is! Testifying at war crime trials, running a squadron of elite soldiers and whatnot."

Petra smiled and nodded, and the brunette nurse from earlier popped her head in to announce that visiting hours were over. Petra waved goodbye to her father, kissing him lightly on the forehead. "I'll write with the details on the trial next week, I promise!" she told him as she walked out the door. "Love you Papa!"

"Love you too, dear!"

The nurse closed the door behind her as Petra left and smiled kindly at Mr. Ral. "Will you be needing anything else, sir?"

The old soldier coughed nad hacked for a few minutes before answering. "Yes. A telephone, if you please. It's quite urgent."

"_Hello?" _

"Yes, may I speak to Commander Erwin please?"

"_You're talking to him. May I ask who's calling?"_

"My name is Habersham Ral, Captain Petra Ral's father. You asked me to call this number five years ago, in case anything came up with her that was- um, per se- questionable."

"_Yes sir, I remember you. Has something happened?"_

"You could say that. It's might be nothing... but it also could be everything?"

"_Just tell me what happened."_

"She came to visit me in the hospital today, mentioned the name _Levi Ackerman_. Said he tried talking to her at a courthouse a few days ago, and then came to ask her about the war crimes trial she testified at a day later."

_*pause*_

"Mr. Erwin?"

"_Yes, I'm still here. What all did Ackerman discuss with her? Did Petra say?"_

"Not a lot, from what I gathered. He went to ask her to go back over her testimony so the Survey Corps could fill out a report."

"_But the Corps don't investigate war crimes. They shouldn't even be involved."_

"I know that, and you know that, and so does she. Petra found it odd, I could tell, and she told me as much. Said she made a couple calls, and now she knows that Hange Zoe didn't authorize a report on the trail to anyone."

"_Did you tell her anything? Anything about what we talked about five years ago? Did you let anything slip, even on accident-"_

"Mr. Erwin, I have more control that that! Of course I didn't tell her anything! You told me not to, remember? Said she didn't want to know or need to know, and that her wishes were to be respected, if I recall."

"_Apologies sir, but I had to ask. I'll make a few inquires on my end, maybe put a stop to this nonsense. It was good of you to come to me immediately, I thank you."_

"You're very welcome- and Mr. Erwin?"

"_Yes sir?"_

"If you know anything about my daughter, you'll know that she's not going to let this drop. She'll see to it that she finds out the truth, and its only a matter of time before this gets out. I'd just rather not have her hear it from Levi Ackerman, is all. It needs to come from someone she trusts."

"_Taken into account and noted, sir. Good night."_

"Goodnight Mr. Erwin sir."

* * *

><p><strong>So it has come to my attention that the line break thing-ys haven't been appearing as they should, which is ok because I didn't put many of them in my previous chapters. I'm working with Editing on Fanfiction to correct this issue, which is why you're getting the same chapter reposted. Ignore the last email, they're the samechapter only with line breaks and a message at the end. <strong>

**Sorry about the mess! I'll clean it up as soon as possible, I promise!**

**R&R!  
><strong>

**rellimmes**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

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><p>Mr. Ral was a stubborn man, and cared deeply for his daughter's overall wellbeing. So it was perfectly logical that he wouldn't allow the selling of his beloved house to anyone, even if he was never allowed outside the hospital anymore, but rather saved it for occasions when Petra came to visit. So it was that the little town house was perfectly straightened and presentable for Petra's arrival, because that was the way Petra had left it after her last visit some months before.<p>

She took one look at the place and frowned, running her fingers across the kitchen table as she threw her bags onto the bed in the next room. "Good inch of dust," she muttered to herself, shaking her head. "Well, looks like I know what I'll be doing tonight."

She quickly found the feather-duster hanging on the back side of the pantry door and dusted off all of the surfaces in the house. She threw open the windows and let the cool breeze air out the place before making sure that all of the furniture and sheets were in good order (and they were, thanks to a couple tactfully-placed moth balls). Petra chuckled to herself; she didn't remember where she'd gotten such a neat streak, but it certainly hadn't been from her father.

Petra made sure she had a decent fire going in the fireplace before looking in the closet for a couple more blankets. She wondered how the squad was getting along without her, and if Jewel hadn't successfully driven Oro crazy yet. She had highly doubted anything bothered Oro in the slightest during the first few months of his training with the Garrison, but Jewel had joined the squad and that had changed. They were completely opposites, but they worked well together- if Jewel could stop being so reckless. That was why Petra had paired them up together to begin with.

She opened up the closet door, found the blankets shoved underneath a large wooden box and carefully balanced herself between the two and standing on her toes to reach them. Petra was quick, but she was by no means tall. "Alright, if I could just reach-"

Suddenly the box caved, as did the blankets, and both came tumbling down right on Petra's head. Shrieking slightly, she caught the box first and landed flat on her back, with the blankets floating gently down atop of her in a heap of cloth, wood and more dust. Petra groaned as she felt the box practically fall apart in her hands. It was quite old. Untangling herself from the chaos and carefully setting the mess of wooden and nails down atop the kitchen table, she hastily cleaned everything back up and folded the blankets at the foot of the couch. She sat down beside the former box and carefully began shifting through the piles of junk left inside. What she found shocked her.

At first it was the usual sorts of things; old shirts, a couple pieces of broken jewelry, several molten cigars. But, at the very bottom of the mess, sat a large stack of yellowing folded papers, carefully put in place and forgotten. Petra didn't recognize anything inside of it. Curiously, she gingerly rescued the papers and pushed the rest of the mess aside to deal with later. Her golden eyes widened in surprise. These letters were hers, from over five years ago. _Papa must have kept them. _

The girl who had written these letters Petra didn't recognize. She recalled tales of tragedy and somehow found joy in them, joy Petra was certain was highly exaggerated. There were so many names thrown about that she lost count, all of them but a few she didn't recognize. There were five names that stuck out to her, the ones most mentioned. Petra looked through all of them.

There was Eld Gin, who at the time Petra was in the Survey Corps' Special Operations Squad was the deputy head. Petra's former self had made sure to note that Eld had 14 kills and 32 assists. He had a calm demeanor and rarely shouted unless under attack by Titans. He was a good leader, and a friend.

There was a man named Oluo Bozado, depicted as arrogant and boastful from what Petra could tell. He was often disrespectful towards the squad leader (who had yet to be mentioned) although there was a running gag amongst the squad that whenever he was bragging while on his horse he literally bit his tongue. Petra found him to be curious enough, but moved on.

Gunther Schultz was another soldier with a high Titan kill record, with 47 kills and 7 of them being solo. Gunther and Eld must have been good friends as well, because neither one was usually mentioned without the other. Petra found herself laughing as she read of all the antics her former self was written about. What this her squad, the same squad that had left her to die? Petra didn't know.

There was one woman who also stood out, named Hange Zoe. Petra knew of her- she was the currently Commander of the Survey Corps and a renowned (and sometimes eccentric) genius. They had been friends too, despite Hange being her superior. Petra knew that she led a separate squad, and deduced that Hange had not been on the expedition Petra had supposedly died on. This gave her some relief, though it was little. Petra wondered if Hange somehow knew about her survival and was keeping her distance.

The last name was by far the most interesting- Eren Jaegar. Petra recognized his name from the papers and rumors that flew around the Garrison, but was surprised at his appearance in her letters. It was a brief mentioning, casual, but Petra could tell that her former self was somewhat fond of the boy. He had been sweet, unsure and scared when he'd first joined the squad, however much he'd tried to hide it. The old Petra had apparently been the first to actively make the poor boy feel welcome, an act that Petra wasn't sure she would have been able to do. Her first experiences with Titans had been terrible; Titans shifters? How had she not been nervous, or at least kept her distance? The Eren Jaegar of today was a famous soldier and an ally of Humanity- had the old Petra seen it all along?

Petra found herself with more questions than answers once she had finished reading the letters. It was strange, how different she had been then. Was losing her memories a blessing, or a curse? Had she not lost them, would she have returned to the Survey Corps instead of left? Would she be a captain of her own squad now, as she was in this new life, or have been content to remain a part of the Special Operations Squad there? Petra assumed she wouldn't have been, but she wasn't sure.

She stood up to store the papers away and throw away the box, but she accidentally nudged some of the fallen debries off of the table. Sighing, she bent over to pick it up- and instead found herself reading another letter.

This one was different.

_Dear Papa,_

_I've been thinking a lot about my future, just like you asked me to. You told me to remember my mother's wishes for my life, to consider a husband, and I'm happy to inform you that I have reached a decision- sort of. _

_I write to you every week about my experiences as a soldier in the Survey Corps. You've heard all about my teammates and everything we've done together, and I know you're proud of me for choosing to follow in your footsteps as a soldier. I also know you're anxious to have me home, because you worry about my safety and the conditions I live in. But I'm writing to you to put all of your worries aside. _

_I've met someone. You know him, I think- or know of him, at least. He's the most wonderful person, Papa! He can come off as calloused and rough, but he's really kind and gentle (when he wants to be). I really, really like him, and if you'd ever met him I think you would too! _

_Problem is, he's my commanding officer, and it's kind of against the rules to date a commanding officer, much less marry him. Papa, before you say anything, I'm telling you that I've come to terms with this, and I'm going to dedicate my life to serving under him and for humanity. I know, it's a big decision, one I know you're going to say is rash and too soon, and it's mine to make. I'm going to be happy, Papa, and I know if Mother was still here she'd be happy too._

_Write soon._

_Love,_

_Petra_

To say that Petra's reaction was horrible would be exaggerating slightly. Actually, it would be exaggerating a lot. Petra foud herself running through every single letter she'd read in the past hour, trying to pick out the commanding officer that she'd mentioned anywhere in her letters. The only one that even remotely came up was a couple sentences with the current Special Operations Squad leader in them, but he had to be dead by now, right? Not very many people lived past the first year on active duty, much less on an elite squad like the Survey's Corps' Special Operations. Petra nearly didn't herself, and she'd had one of the highest kill counts in the military.

When you've lost your memories, five years is an awfully short period of time. For Petra, five years was an equivalent to five days, and much too short a time to learn anything about the concept of love. Yes, of course there was attraction, and paternal love like her father's, but she had the feeling that the old Petra Ral wasn't talking about either of those things, and the idea was absolutely foreign to her. Petra could barely wrap her head around the facts themselves, much less reasons and theories.

_More questions, _Petra thought to herself as she quickly buried everything back inside the closet and went to get ready for bed. _Why wouldn't Papa say something about this? Does it have anything to do with me being dead to the Survey Corps? I need to find out who this man was, whoever he is. Perhaps Levi Ackerman knew him. I could always ask once I get back to headquarters tomorrow._

Truth was, Petra wasn't sure what she was going to do once she found out who her superior officer was five years ago. Maybe nothing, or maybe everything. She was determined to not let her work or attitude be affected by such a revelation, and resolved to make up her mind once she got back to the Garrison's Headquarters.

But nasty things have a way of catching up to you, and Petra Ral, however lucky she was, is no different…

Petra visited her father one last time before hopping on the train back into the city, where, upon arriving on the platform, discovered an extremely agitated-looking Oro waiting for her. Petra frowned something wasn't right. She dismounted the walk up to him.

"Well, this is certainly a welcome surprise. I was only gone a two days, Oro. Have Mason and David managed to burn down Trost in that small amount of time?"

The dark-skinned boy shook his head and handed her an envelope, whose seal was already broken. "No _heichou_. This came from you in the mail run this morning, marked urgent. I figured you'd want to be the first to see it."

Petra chuckled and unfolded the letter. "After you checked it from poison, I assume," she laughed, noting the torn envelope. Oro shrugged and tried to be casual. "You put me in charge, _heichou. _The label's marked 'To Captain Petra Ral _or _current manager of the Stationary Guard's Special Operations Squad.' I needed to know it was important."

"David opened it before you could get to it, didn't he?"

"You know how he is, Petra _heichou_. Nosy and reckless."

Petra smiled slightly. "Indeed." Her golden eyes scanned over the piece of paper. "It's from Commander Pixis himself. New orders. We're to report to our squad room immediately."

Oro frowned thoughtfully. "What for?"

Petra handed him the letter and started off at once, with Oro barely able to keep up with the short woman's pace. "The Klorva District needs our help. They're north of Wall Sina, mountain district. Apparently their wall guards have spotted Titans."

"That far up north?" Oro asked, bewildered. "There hasn't been any sighting there since… ever."

Petra nodded briskly. "We're to assess the threat and protect civilians if the need arises, go on defense if the district is breached. The Special Operations Squad is going to be in charge of eliminating any potential threats."

Oro's raised his eyebrows cautiously. "Aren't we the Special Operations Squad, _heichou_?"

Petra nodded, thought for a moment, and then shook her head. "Not this time. Oro. They're calling in the Survey Corps, with Captain Levi leading the charge."

* * *

><p><strong>Whoa, so I realized that I haven't updated it FOREVER (actually its only been a couple days, but it felt like eternity. you're welcome) so I decided to post this at the last minute. I do hope you guys are still enjoying my story, so if so PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review and gimme your opinions because I CRAVE positive feedback!<strong>

**Anyways, here you go, feel free to ponder what is going to happen next! You guys are awesome.**

**R&R!**

**rellimmes **


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"What do you mean, Petra Ral's alive?"

Eren Jaegar was practically fuming, and Levi Ackerman ignored him as he walked ahead of him. They were meeting the Garrison section of the Special Operations Squad in five minutes, and Levi had held Eren back so he could relay the news before he had to find out himself. Now Eren was angry, and Levi couldn't do anything about it except try to keep their noise level to a minimum. His team was already in the squad room with the others, and it was only luck that Petra hadn't shown up yet. He had a finite amount of time to relay a shocking and gut-wrenching message.

"Yes, Eren, she is," he replied calmly, motioning for him to keep his voice down. "Never died, as luck would have it."

"But how-?"

"I don't know, and don't have the specifics myself. All you need to know is that she doesn't remember any of us or anything past the day she was attacked by the Female Titan on that expedition. She's captain in the Garrison now, and different. Doesn't sound like it immediately, but she is. More authoritative, secure… distant. She's the best at what she does, and she won't hesitate to be ruthless if it guarentees victory or success."

Eren's face scrunched together in confusion. "How can you tell?"

Levi paused, trying to find the words. "I saw her sparring with one of her subordinated the other day. She's as much of a soldier as ever, maybe too much. And she'll do anything to keep people safe. Her squad comes first, not us."

"Why are you telling me this?" Eren asked, his tone almost accusatory. "Where you afraid I'd screw the meeting up, say something I shouldn't?"

Levi stopped and spun around, his temper flaring. "I'm _telling_ you because if something slipped we'd be in even _more_ trouble than we already are! Petra doesn't know any of us, doesn't _want_ to know any of us and thinks we left her out there to die at the hands of the Titans!" He forced himself to cool down and took a deep breath. "You're going to keep your distance, and the rest of the squad isn't going to know anything about this. They've never met Petra or the rest of the squad, and they're not going to know that she ever was. That's an order, understand?"

Eren clearly was struggling with the decision. "Why not?"

Levi sighed. "Eren, if word ever got out that the Survey Corps left a living scout out in the field to fend for themselves, accidental or not, we'd all be facing prison on the spot. The Military Police would be crawling up our asses trying to find a reason to pin the death penalty on us. They take this stuff seriously, and Pixis and Erwin knew this. They kept Petra's situation a secret to protect us and her. So am I clear?"

Eren bit his lip and nodded, still unhappy. "Yes sir."

Levi nodded in finality and led the way into the squad room.

Petra came in a moment later with the soldier named Oro, looking extremely rushed and wind-swept. She stopped dead once she realized the squad from the Survey Corps was already in there waiting for her, but quickly regained her composure and nodded politely at all of her. All of Levi squad blinked simultaneously and looked at Levi, as if he was the one that had to approve their opinions of her. He looked back at all of them and nodded, and they nodded at Petra. She raised an eyebrow and turned to Levi.

"Apologies for my tardiness, Captain Ackerman," she told him, sitting down at the head of the table and setting a file of papers in front of her. "I've just returned from the train station, and got the assignment upon my arrival." She smiled in acknowledgment. "Welcome to the team."

Levi nodded back at her, folding his arms in front of him and frowning. "Happy to be here. Have you been briefed on the situation in Klorva District?"

Petra shrugged. "Only from what the file mentioned. It paints a decent enough picture to get an idea of what's going on."

Levi raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He could feel his team's eyes on him, especially Eren's. They weren't used to him being so surprised, and Eren- well, Eren was watching his leader's every move. He wanted to see how Levi was acting around Petra, what lines were drawn where and when they weren't to be crossed. Levi ignored them all. "How do you figure?"

Petra stood up, walked over to a large map of the districts in and around the walls. She pointed towards Klorva and the surrounding area, with was filled with mountains and valleys. "You're new to what we do in our squad, Captain Ackerman, so I'll get you caught up. We deal primarily in threat assessment and execution, which is basically making sure there are enough people in place to prevent a Titan attack and eliminate larger threats than your regular wall guardsman would usually handle. We've being sent up to Klorva to see if the sightings of Titans that far north are real, and if so we need to know how often and if we need the Garrison's presence there as well." She paused, looking back at Levi. "I take it you already know what you're being sent to do."

Levi nodded. "I already briefed my team. We're being sent into Titan territory to search for and eliminate any Titans in the immediate area. How do you want to go about this?"

Petra looked over at David, who raised his hand to reply. "The Garrison post up in Klorva is basically a castle, a lot like some of the outposts the Corps uses. We're going to be staying there until the crisis is averted. A supply train is also leaving for Klorva at three o'clock. We need to be on it."

Levi nodded, glancing around at his team. Connie and Sasha, who had been whispering amongst each other, ceased immediately. Armin raised his hand. "We have all of our gear on hand, Captain Ral. We're ready to move when you and your team are."

Petra nodded and motioned towards the door. "We'll be ready in ten, but there's no reason for you to wait up for us if you're ready to go." She dismissed her team before slinging her travel pack over her shoulder and starting to exit. "We'll meet you down at the station, then? There's some business with the commanders I need to attend to first."

Levi nodded, clasped his hands together and motioned for his team to stand and leave. "Sounds good to me. See you then."

Petra found Gustav leaving his office for a meeting in Sina and caught up to him. "Gustav, wait!"

The guard looked over at her and waved. "Hey Petra. How was your trip?"

The captain shrugged. "Papa's getting worse, won't be long now. He's being stubborn about it, I think."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll be ok, Gustav. That's not what I came to talk to you about."

Gustav raised an eyebrow before checking his watch. "Make it quick, I'm already late. Anka's getting impatient, and you know how she is. Plus, your team's about to depart for Klorva."

Petra nodded. "I'll make it brief then. You know the Special Operations Squad, out of the Corps?"

The tall man nodded. "Yeah, what about them? Is something up? I know the commanders at Sina really didn't give Pixis or Hange the chance to decline partnering your teams up. They're really rattled by the Titan sightings that far north."

Petra shook her head quickly. "No, nothing wrong with the team. They're good people from what I can tell. It's more about the former squad."

Gustav's demeanor immediately changed, and he stiffened up rigidly. "Petra, I don't think I should be talking about this with you. It's confidential, and I thought you didn't want to know about your former team."

The young woman bit her lip and nodded, still a bit uncertain. "I know what I said, but that was five years ago. I came across something when I was back home visiting Papa, something was raised a lot of concerns. I need to know the name of the former squad leader- the one before Levi, I mean."

Gustav averted his gaze and shuddered inwardly. "Petra, maybe its best I don't tell you-"

She stamped her foot in frustration. "Gustav, I don't have time for this, and neither do you! I realize you know I said that I didn't want to hear it, but know I've changed my mind. I want- no, _need_ to know who the former squad leader of the Survey Corps Special Operations Squad was. Gustav, please."

The taller man finally turned around and looked at Petra, his eyes full of reluctance and resignation. "Petra, I can't tell you because there _isn't_ a former leader of the Corps' Special Operations Squad. There's only been one leader, always has been."

Petra felt the color drain from her face, and her guts twist violently. She struggled to find words, and she inwardly trembled. "No…" she muttered, almost to herself. "But that can't be right- I don't understand, it's not... You're wrong-"

But Gustav nodded, as if confirming Petra's worst fears. "I'm not wrong, Petra. Levi Ackerman's always been the captain of the Special Operations Squad. He was your squad leader five years ago." He saw the look on his comrade's face and bit his lip uncertainly. "Look Petra, if you need me to intervene and call off the expedition I can make it happen-"

"No." Petra's face was grim and cold, and her golden eyes sparked with barely-masked violent conflict. "No, I can handle this. I have to go, the train's not going to wait for me."

She brushed past Gustav and fled down the stairs, feeling every inch of white hot anger pour through her veins. She couldn't describe the tension running high, the battle clashing inside of her or the emotions crackling like an open flame. There was no such thing as truth anymore; the truth was relative, and she wasn't sure of anything anymore except for this-

_Levi Ackerman was my captain. _

_I was in love with Levi Ackerman. _

_He left me in those woods to die. _

**End Chapter 12**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

><p>The supply was, asto be expected, a supply train. It wasn't a first class coach with food or glass windows or even seats- it was meant to deal in whatever goods were coming in and out of the immediate Trost district area, and that was that. As there were no other trains going out to Klorva for the next week and a half, both teams had to resign themselves to the fact that they were riding the hard way and made do with what they had. Petra's group was used to rough-housing it; being a special operations team stationed inside the wall, hopping a supply train was normal.<p>

Levi's team was another matter altogether. Within five minutes of boarding the empty box car the engineer of the train had offered them David and Jean were already arguing over what bags went where and why, and Connie was complaining about how rough the ride was. Petra had reprimanded them all (ignoring the fact that two out of the three troublemakers weren't even under her command) and ordered silence until they could figure everything out. "We've got nine hours of being crammed into a tight living space, so get used to it," she'd snapped irritably. "I don't know how the Survey Corps handles traveling, and I don't want to. While you're riding with the Garrison you'll be following the garrison's command, and nowhere in there does it state that complaining is acceptable!"

Levi didn't say anything about it, much to his team's surprise. Petra assumed they were used to him contradicting the chain of command anywhere he went, and she really didn't care if he did or not. _His team isn't my responsibility, and I'm not his, _she told herself spitefully. _They need to get over themselves already. _

Oro, David, Jewel and Mason had unloaded all of their travel backpacks in the far corner of the boxcar and sat down, talking amongst themselves. Levi's group seemed uncomfortable around them, and avoided speaking with any of the members unless needed. On any other day Petra would have been slightly concerned, but she had more pressing matters to occupy herself with. She took out a small pad of blank parchment and started sketching out the district of Klorva and its walls, filling in details here and there from what she remembered with the map back at headquarters. The city wasn't as crowded as Trost, built more as a wall within a wall and had thin streets like a maze. The architects working there had been smart; Klorva was the weakest link like the otherwise isolated the strong wall in the northern districts. The fewer Titans that found themselves near the wall the better and the maze would help with containment if there ever was a breach.

Petra felt a stubborn presence next to her, and she found Levi Ackerman sitting next to her when she glanced over. She said nothing and trained her eyes on her paper again. A few trees here, a couple houses there, nothing fancy but enough to keep her busy…

"You're good."

She paused briefly, unprepared to hear his voice or hold his attention. She inwardly shuddered and kept drawing. "It's rough, not accurate enough. Won't be enough to go on strictly, but alright if you want a defensive strategy. It won't be enough to help your squad, I'm afraid."

Levi shrugged nonchalantly. "All the same." He sighed as he adjusted his position next to her, and Petra knew he had no intentions on going anywhere. The box car was small enough as it was; she wouldn't be going anywhere either. She'd have to live with it for now. "Do you need something?" she asked, more rudely than she meant to. Levi frowned but didn't seem to mind. "Not much. I wanted to know what the Garrison's headquarters in Klorva looked like, actually. You said it was a castle?"

Petra frowned and resumed sketching as she talked. "David did, yes. Like he said, it's a lot like your Survey Corps' outposts you put in the Titan territories, except they're actually safe. There's two of them in Klorva, but until now there haven't been any Titan sightings that far north, so there wasn't need from many war guardsmen up in that area. The second one doesn't get used, so we'll have it to ourselves." She glanced over at him warily, trying to get a read on him. "Why do you ask?"

Levi shrugged and leaned back beside her, closing his eyes and resting his head on his hands behind his head. "No reason. Friendly conversation I suppose."

Petra resisted the urge the punch him right then and there. _And when did you decide to be friendly? After the expedition you let me die on? _"You won't receive much of that once we get to Klorva."

The Corps captain arched an eyebrow in confusion, his eyes still closed. "Why is that?"

The young woman shaded in a side of the wall she was drawing as she talked. "There are a lot of former civilians from Wall Maria that settled up there. After the wall was breached a few years back, I mean. They didn't want to be reminded of the monsters that attacked their homes, killed their families, took their lives away from them. A lot of them blame the Survey Corps for luring the Titans there in the first place, blame them for the breach. The Garrison protects them; the Corps are merely suicidal leeches who use up more resources than do good for Humanity."

Levi frowned again, and this time Petra could tell she'd struck a nerve. "And you?"

His tone was careful, like he was testing the waters, Petra noted. She used it to her advantage. _The further I drive him away the better off I'll be in Klorva, _she thought with smug satisfaction. "I don't care what you people do. If you want to die 'for the greater good', then fine, I won't stop you." She paused, and then twisted the knife. "You just won't see me out there defending you."

He falls silent after that, and Petra goes back to sketching. They don't talk, they don't acknowledge each other after that, and Petra's just fine. She listens to the other conversations around her, commenting on a couple of them from her squad and making mental notes while listening to Squad Levi and their constant banter. She'll need them once she assigns roommates into the castle- but she doesn't feel like telling Levi that just yet.

* * *

><p>The train was late, and it was almost midnight by the time the two Special Operations Squads reached the Garrison's second outpost. Petra had spoken with the representative that had met them at the station, and he'd directed them there. She was going to meet with him early in the morning for a debriefing, hopefully without Levi Ackerman trailing behind her. She'd fill him in once she got back, but the Garrison rose earlier than the Scouting Legion, and the latest time she could meet with the rep with 6:30 am.<p>

The outpost was smaller than most, making it a miniature version of a castle and not a real one like Connie and Sasha had been joking about on the ride up. There were six bedrooms total with two beds in each (excluded the two rooms for captain's quarters, which only had one bed), making sleeping arrangement highly uncomfortable for a party of 12. Before Petra had a chance to address her team Levi took over.

"Alright, as the idiots over in Wall Sina combined our two _respectable_ teams together, we're expected to act civilized for the duration we're here," Levi announced, much to Petra's dismay. "As a result, I'm splitting the teams down the middle all the way and placing you together. You can decide amongst yourselves who sleeps on the floor."

"Excuse me?" Petra interrupted incredulously, glaring at the dark haired captain with open loathing. "I think my team would be better off grouped into pairs. Makes life easily on all of us, don't you think?"

Levi frowned darkly. "Why do you care? You're don't have to sleep with them. You're a captain, you get the other single bed room." He nodded towards Jean and David, who were still glaring daggers at each other from their incident a few hours ago. "Besides, if we're expected to function as one team we need everything out in the _open_. What better way than this? I don't think Garrison policy is to coed bunking rooms, is it?"

He seemed to be directing that last jab at Petra, and she didn't like it. Still, he was right; the people in Wall Sina expected inter-militia cooperation. This wasn't diplomacy; this was politics, plain and simple. Petra bit her lip and sighed. "Fine. But I pair them off."

Levi shrugged. "Go for it."

Petra scanned the group of soldiers in the room awaiting orders and nodded towards three of them first. "Alright then. Mason, Oro, Jean, you all take the first room. Armin Alert and Eren Jaegar, you go in the room across from them. David and… Connie Springer, is it? Room three. Girls, I think you'll be fine grouped together. If you've all got any objections, now is the time to speak up, because tomorrow's too late."

No one said a word. "Good? Done. You're all dismissed."

Levi stepped up and stopped them before they could leave. "Since we got in so late and we're not expected to be anywhere until noon, try to sleep in. It's bad enough you brats are at each other's throats now, let's not wait until later to sleep it off." Everyone moved off into their separate quarters, murmuring amongst themselves, and Levi roughly pushed past Petra without another word. He retreated back into his quarters and slammed the door behind him, but Petra didn't bother checking up on him. She only had five hours at best to ready for her meeting with the representative in Klorva, and it was going to be a long night.

_Girl's Bunkroom _

To say that Sasha and Jewel hit it off was an understatement. Five minutes after formally introducing themselves they were sitting on their bunks chatting idly away, gossiping about their teammates and laughing their faces off at the most trivial of details. Mikasa had departed from the scene long ago, claiming to go make sure Armin and Eren were getting settled in alright, and Sasha was already dinging into her pile of snacks she'd stored away for the trip. Half of it was gone.

Jewel grimaced as Sasha took another bite out of a biscuit. "How much can you eat in one sitting?"

The brunette shrugged and swallowed hard before replying. "I don't know. I didn't grow up with a lot, you know, so I guess I try to stock up when I can. When you're in the Corps you don't know when your next meal is going to be, you know?"

The bottle-blonde sitting across from her nodded, smiling slightly. "I get it." She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small journal. "How about that fight with David and... Jean, wasn't it? I'm glad Petra _heichou _didn't put them together. Two dominant types like that- they wouldn't last an hour alone."

Sasha laughed. "Yeah, I guess you're right!" She took another bite of her biscuit. "How about your captain, though? She sounds like she's one tough cookie, pardon the pun."

Jewel shrugged and laughed along with her. "Nah, she isn't too bad. _Heichou's_ just had it rough lately, with the trial and then the people over in Sina making us team up like this. She doesn't think it's the Corps business in District affairs, no offense to you of course. The way she sees it, the Corps' jobs are to reclaim land for humanity, not deal directly with the civilian population. That our job, she says." She paused. "But she's actually really nice, and brilliant too! Did you know she holds the highest kill count in the Stationary Guard? Like, ever?"

Her new friend's eyes widened. "Really? How? She's not that old, is she?"

Jewel shrugged again. "Early thirties max is my best bet. You should see her in the field, taking down one of those things- it's like she's got better things to do than take down Titans, and she's just killing them because she can. And her coffee's to _die _for, you _have_ to try it! She made it for the entire squad once, when Mason was homesick. She's kind and patient once you get to know her, but in the beginning I guess you're right in saying that she's kinda harsh. But without her, I don't think any of the people on our squad would be here right now."

Sasha nodded, impressed. "Remind me not to get on her bad side. Though, it looks like Levi heichou did it pretty good job doing that all by himself."

Jewel crinkled her nose, confused. "What?"

The girl nodded towards the door and down the hall, where the captain's quarters were. "You saw how he was acting today. I dunno what happened there, or if they just took an instant disliking to each other, but he looked ready to bust heads when she snapped at him earlier. I'm surprised he actually listened to her, much less let her assign pairings."

Jewel frowned thoughtfully. "I thought I saw some tension there. What do you think is going on? Do they just not like working together or what?"

Sasha shook her head. "I don't think that's it. He said he'd talked with her beforehand and she was actually cool." She leaned in towards Jewel secretively. "And between just you and me, he looked almost happy with the arrangement."

The blonde girl laughed. "Levi Ackerman, happy? Wow, that must be a sight!"

Sasha giggled. "It was! I've never seen anything like it, not since I've been on his squad. Anyways, something had to have changed, because he was pissed when he got off the train."

"Maybe he hit on her, and she rejected him."

"Levi _heichou?_ Hit on a woman? Never!"

"What, he doesn't like women?"

"I don't think he likes _anyone_ like that, female or not."

"Some captain."

"Tell me about it."

* * *

><p><strong>Ooh, Jewel and Sasha are becoming friends! I figured Mikasa and Sasha might not be total bffs since there's so little interaction with them, and since in this story Historia's ruling in Wall Sina (and thus not in this story) Sasha and Jewel were pre-destined to get along. <strong>

**What's up with Petra and Levi? Please, tell me, I need ideas! No, Levi didn't hit on Petra (did I write that? I don't think so) but I thought it'd be funny if some of their subordinates were gossiping about it. **

**You better be happy with this, because I got up at six o'clock in the morning to post this! It's also my birthday **

**Anyways, reviews are always uplifting and welcome! R&R please!**

**-rellimmes **


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

><p>A tired, bleary-eyed and dark-circled Petra Ral quietly slid on her uniform, picked up a manila folder labeled 'Classified' and made her way for the door, wincing at every creaking floorboard she disturbed and the squeaky doorknob she was turning as she made her way out of the castle. She'd be back before the rest of the team woke, she knew, and didn't feel the need to leave a note. The representative from the Garrison squadron stationed in Klorva would be waiting for her in the town square, and she was already later than she'd planned on being. Petra cautiously slung a rifle over her shoulder- there'd be no need for 3DMG gear where she was going- and started to open the door to leave…<p>

"And where do you think you're going at this ungodly hour?"

Petra reacted badly; startled, she whirled around and prepared to fire her firearm at the nearest person she saw- which just so happened to be a certain Levi Ackerman. He didn't even flinch at the barrel of the gun pointed at his face, and continued to sip on his coffee. "You look like a teenage girl sneaking out on a dated, Petra. You should see the look on your face."

Petra felt her face flush red, and she lowered her rifle. "I wasn't sneaking out, if that's what you're implying."

Levi snorted. "_Tch._ Could've fooled me." He leaned up against the doorframe, still looking at her in amusement. "So, where _are_ you going? It's six in the morning. I thought we were letting the brats sleep in."

Petra frowned. "The only reason they have the luxury of sleeping in is because I'm getting a head start. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm already late." She shouldered her gun and started to leave, but much to her chagrin Levi followed. She noticed the coffee cup had mysteriously disappeared, and he was already dressed to go. She raised an eyebrow. "And where do you think _you're_ going?"

Levi chuckled and followed her out. "Well, if you're going to be meeting with the Garrison's rep, I might as well go along. I'm representing the Corps here too, you know."

The young woman resisted the urge and groan. This was what she'd been trying to avoid. "With all due respect, Ackerman," she said through gritted teeth. "I don't think you should come along. I told you, the civilians up here don't particularly care for the Survey Corps, or newcomers. I'm pushing the line as it is just by being here, and I'm part of the military branch they _like_. Your presence isn't going to be well-received, especially not in a public square."

The other captain looked over at her in shock. "You're meeting the representative in the middle of the town square? Discussing sensitive matters relating to humanity's security? In what world is that ok? Better yet, what in the hell are you thinking?"

Petra shrugged. "I read the reports, Ackerman. The townspeople who work near and on the wall saw the Titans when the military did, and if rumors are anything here like they are in the district I grew up in, word gets around pretty fast. Everything they know is what the Garrison stationed here knows, and what they know is what we know- _zilch_. I'm not learning anything the rest of the civilians don't already know, so relax will you? It's not like I'm divulging the inner-most secrets of Wall Sina over here."

Levi rolled his eyes. "It sounds like you're the one who needs to relax," he muttered under his breath as they walked towards the stables. "And it's Levi, not Ackerman. No need to be so formal-"

"I do, actually," Petra cut him off, snapping irritably as she saddled up a piebald stallion. "I'm a professional, and so are you. Act like it."

Levi didn't seem to want to do that either, but he sighed and resigned himself to the fact that Petra wasn't budging on it and swung himself atop a white mare. "You know," he said, with a bit of contempt in his voice. "You're not at all like I'd thought you'd be."

Petra raised an eyebrow at him as she rode out into the open. "And what's that?"

Levi frowned darkly. "Like you were when I first met you- friendly, humorous, likeable. What changed?"

She shrugged and spurred her horse to the open road, trying her best not to look at him. "I found out I was actually working with you, that's what," she lied with ease. "I'll be cordial with strangers because they come asking for my help, because that's what professionals do. But weaseling your way into a Garrison investigation, trying to act like you can run your team and mine? That's not something I'll tolerate." Suddenly she spurred her horse around, facing a very confused and annoyed Levi. "So I'll put up with you and your happy-go-lucky team as long as it takes for me to get this job done, but the moment we close this case I want you gone, we clear?"

Levi's lips curled up, and he stared her down coldly. "Crystal."

* * *

><p>None of the townspeople were in the public square at the unearthly hour of six in the morning, and Petra easily spotted the representative sitting by the fountain. He, unlike Petra and Levi, was outfitted in 3DM gear. Petra assumed he was going on wall duty after this. She flagged him down, tied her horse to a hitching post and walked out to meet him. "Henry Gossamer?"<p>

The red-headed man nodded and shook her hand firmly. "That's me. You must be Captain Ral. I've heard good things."

Petra smiled politely. "As have I. You're former Rear Guard, Second Battalion. Very impressive."

Gossamer glanced over at an approaching Levi. "I wasn't aware the Survey corps had taken an interest in the case, much less their Special Operations Squad."

Petra rolled her golden brown eyes. "It was a last minute detail, I don't like it either. Thank you for lending us your second outpost. I assure you, we put it to good use."

The man named Gossamer chuckled. "I'm sure." He pointed at the file in Petra's hand. "I take it you got our reports. The citizens are starting to get nervous, and if it's all the same to you, we'd like the matter done away with as soon as possible."

Petra nodded in understanding. "I agree. Tell me, when did the Titans make their first appearance?"

Gossamer shifted uncomfortably. "Well ma'am, I didn't actually see them myself, but a few of my comrades stationed at the wall did. There were three of them, about twenty meters high and fat as all get out. It made some of us wonder how they got to be that way, since they don't eat animals and all."

"Their stout nature is to be expected," Petra said. "That blubber is the only way all of them made their way as far north as they did. They probably migrated from the south after realizing that the Survey Corps weren't sending enough meals their way. Almost smart, if you think about it." She paused, thinking. "Titans might be giants, but they're not used to higher altitudes and colder climates like the ones in Klorva and tend to stay down south where it's warmer. The fact that even a single one is this far away from Trost concerns me. This is the first time they've been spotted here, correct?"

"Yes," Gossamer said. "That's what we get for not having more militias up here I guess. I don't care of the Scouting Legion's methods, but I will say they sure do know how to get the job done. If they'd sent more raiding parties out there around this area we might not be having this problem-" he glanced anxiously at Levi "-no offense, sir."

"None taken," Levi replied coolly. "My team is here to eliminate any Titans within a twenty mile radius. Four of them shouldn't be too much of an issue."

Gossamer nodded, though it looked like he didn't believe him. "Of course. Exactly what is it your teams will be doing?"

Petra opened her mouth to speak, but Levi beat her to it. "My team is in charge of killing your Titans, Gossamer," he replied quickly. "Captain Ral and her squad are in place to do damage control, protect your civilians and defend the wall should there be a full on attack or attempted breach. The Titans are only twenty meters, so they shouldn't be too much of a problem, but they don't know if they're Titans at all."

The Garrison rep looked stunned, and Petra was indignant. "What else would they be?" she almost snapped, trying to maintain her somewhat clam demeanor. "Some kind of Shifter, like Jaegar?"

Levi nodded. "That's exactly what I think. You said it yourself, Titans don't like colder weather. No one's seen one this far north since the walls were first built, and it's strange that it would start happening now. It's not like the earth miraculously decided to start heating itself like an oven. Titan shifters have a sense of mind that feral Titans don't. They can see, hear, and think just like humans, though maybe not to the same extent. If they were looking for a way into the wall, the northern districts would be the best places to go. Little real security, more mountains and caves to take shelter in, its ideal."

He looked from Gossamer to Petra and back again. "I've had first hand experiences with Titan shifters. I have one on my own squad. This is the exact thing one of them would do."

Petra said nothing, but Gossamer looked like he was ready to wet himself. "_Titan_ shifters? Hell, we didn't consider that. What are you planning on doing about them? Aren't they considered people now?"

Levi shrugged. "We'll have to wait and see on that one. It all depends on if they start to pose a serious threat. Have they tried to eat anyone yet? Maybe take a swipe at one of the wall guards?"

Gossamer shook his head. "They haven't gone within half a mile of the wall. We've had to use spyglasses to keep an eye on them through the forest outside the wall, but they disappeared a little under twenty four hours ago, right before you all got here."

Levi fell silent, and Petra took the opportunity and to reassure the Garrison rep that everything was going to be fine. "We'll see it through to the best of our ability," she promised him not unkindly. "But there might not be anything to worry about. Our teams will look into it once we debrief them when we get back."

Gossamer nodded and excused himself to head off on duty, and the two captains started to make their way back towards the outpost. "Do you honestly think those Titans are actually shifters?" Petra asked Levi. "Or was that just a tactic to get Gossamer riled up."

"Both," Levi replied. He stared straight ahead and didn't even make an effort to look at her, which Petra found both relieving and odd. For some reason he wasn't interested in attempting to be friendly with her again. "But I do know that my team's going to be pissed when they find out what we might be dealing with. The last time we face a shifter-"

He stopped himself before he could say anything revealing. Petra knew what he was going to say, and wasn't about to let him finish. He started back up again. "-well, let's just say it got nasty." He frowned. "Has your team ever faced a Titan shifter before?"

The Stationary Guard captain felt her gut twist, and she realized that he was fishing. She wasn't about to let him get the upper hand this. She shook her head. "No," she said quietly. "As a team we have never faced a Titan shifter."

It wasn't a lie, but by the way she said it Petra could tell she'd hit a snag with Levi. The thought slapped her in the face. _He knows. But he doesn't know that I do, too._

Without another word she spurred her horse onward and left him in the dust.

* * *

><p><strong>Merry Christmas to all! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and wished me a happy birthday! You guys are so sweet.<br>**

**So I realize that there are some people who want Petra to bash her head into a tree (again) and regain her memories, and while I am almost certain that she will that's not for a long time coming. We still have lots of Titan killing and drama we gotta sift through, so hold on a while longer. Levi and Petra aren't anywhere near making up just yet (and probably won't be after this upcoming chapter,) but please don't kill me just yet! You want tosee how this ends, don't you?**

**Anyhow, R&R and thanks again!  
><strong>

**rellimmes**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Petra and Levi walked in on Jean and David at it again, this time with Mason, Jewel, Sasha and Connie egging it on.

"C'mon Jean, you can throw better punches than that!"

"Get it on David, you're dropping off to the right!"

"Watch the table, you almost bashed your head on it!"

"Why did we let them duke it out in the kitchen again?"

All the other soldiers froze when Levi slammed his fist against the door for silence, and their eyes widened in shock when they saw the rifle slung over Petra's shoulder. David and Jean scrambled to their feet, and in unison they all saluted the incoming superiors. Petra's eyes narrowed at David, and Levi glanced over at an embarrassed Jean. He walked up to the bruised young man and planted his feet in front of him, crossing his arms and glaring up at the former cadet. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Jean babbled for words, but it was David who spoke up. "He called our squad a bunch of wannabes, sir-"

"Shut up!" Levi glared over at David, who cringed and bit his lip. He tried to look to Petra for support, but he found no sympathy. "Petra _heichou_…?"

The Garrison captain rolled her eyes and stepped forward. She locked gaze with Levi, who nodded in understanding and let Petra approach a stubborn Jean. The boy scowled. "What do you want?"

But instead of returning the angry look, Petra's lips curled into a terrifyingly sweet smile. Her eyes flickered dangerously, and even though Jean was a good head taller than her he tensed up. Who did this chick think she was?

"Wannabe, huh?" she asked, smirking and nodding over towards David. Jean frowned. "What about it?" Petra chuckled to herself, shook her head, and then did what was perhaps the most risky move to ever pull on a Survey corps member— she drop-kicked him right then and there.

The entire room gasped and looked at Levi, but for once the captain didn't move an inch. His gaze was trained on the woman before him, standing over one of his men and pressed the heel of her boot against his chest. Jean was still trying to catch his breath and stared up at her in wide-eyed horror, wondering how much a little woman had so much power behind her kick. By this time Mikasa, Eren, Armin and Oro had entered the scene, and everyone looked on as Petra in stunned awe.

"_Wannabes,_" she continued, leaning down over the soldier and sneering. "Kind of a strong word, isn't it? You think that any one on my team _wants_ to be here? Or yours? You think we_ like_ killing Titans, that _that's_ what we wake up for in the mornings? Because if that's what you joined the Survey Corps for kid, then you've got your priorities wrong. You don't think we'd rather be at home with our families? That we could be anywhere but here, fighting monsters that have eaten up our friends, our comrades, our own _lives?_ Let me tell you something, and I want you to listen very closely- _no one_ sitting here in this room is here by force. Not your team, not mine, not anyone. We made our choices, and we're living with them. So don't tell me that my team's full of want-to-be's, _Mr. Kirstein_, because if that were true you wouldn't be lying in this floor beaten by a _girl_."

Sasha and Jewel exchanged looks, and Connie snickered. "Jean got beaten by a _girl!_" he whispered in Armin's ear. Armin glanced at him in annoyance.

Petra let her boot up off of Jean's chest and looked at Levi, as if daring him to challenge her. He didn't. She looked over at a smug David and pointed at him. "You. Courtyard. Now."

David gulped and followed his captain out, tajing all the tension in the room with him. Levi frowned as Eren helped Jean up and turned to the remaining two teams. "Debriefing is in an hour in the meeting hall. Plan on attending, won't you?"

He turned tail and walked back down the hall away from the silent group, and casually threw another order over her shoulder. "And try not to get into any more fights while you're at!"

Petra slammed the door to the courtyard behind her and angrily turned to a pale-faced David. He still had blood dripping down the side of his face, but his captain didn't care. She was beyond furious.

"What were you thinking?" she practically yelled at him, getting up in her subordinate's face. "How in the world did you allow yourself to get so reckless, David? I expected better from you, especially after yesterday! Didn't I order you to let it go and keep your distance from Kirstein, that it would only cause trouble? It's bad enough you made the Garrison look like a bunch of idiots, but now you make me look foolish!"

"He insulted our honor _heichou_!" David retorted back, obviously not sorry in the least. "He told us the only reason we were even here was because the higher-ups in Wall Sina didn't trust the Garrison enough to do the job themselves, especially after the war crimes trial! That the Survey Corps were called in the clean up our mess!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" Petra replied. "He's was getting back at you for yesterday, trying to get under your skin. Haven't I taught you better than that? I knew you had a temper, just like me, but I never let it go this far like you did! Look at the mess you've made, David. Now we'll never get this job done, not when both of the military's elite squads have proven that they can't even be in the same room with each other without slitting one another's throats!"

She sighed and paused, allowing herself time to cool down. When she looked back at David she was calmer and more in control, but equally as pissed as before. "I'll have to write up a report on this one. I let the one yesterday slide because no one got hurt, but after today I'm not so sure you're ready to be in the field on a job like this. You're suspended from active duty until further notice."

David's lips quivered. "But Petra _heichou_-"

"No 'buts', David," she cut him off. "I'm not budging from this. Until you get your head screwed on straight and can prove to me you're capable of acting professionally you're suspended."

"I was only doing what you would've done!" David replied desperately, his eyes watering slightly and looking extremely hurt. "It's what you would've done, right?"

Petra looked at him curiously, her anger and frustration completely zapped and replaced with confusion. "What did you say?" David's lips quivered again, and Petra motioned towards a bench. "C'mon, let's sit down. Tell me, what's going on?"

David sighed, blinking back tears. Petra had never seen the boy like this before. He had barely passed out of his teenage years a few months ago, but all she saw now was an extremely hurt and emotional little kid. He looked up at her with large brown eyes, and she remembered that David was from her village and knew her parents, even though she'd never met him until he'd been put on her squad. Petra's father had told her that her mother had used to babysit David and the other littler kids while their parents worked. She hadn't considered that David might have known who Petra was long before she knew him. "David, are you alright?"

The soldiers looked up at his captain. "It's just… I'm sorry heichou, I was being stupid, it's a stupid excuse…"

Petra placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "No. Tell me. What is it?"

David wiped his eyes and turned to her. "It's just for the longest time, I've wanted to be a soldier. Most kids, they live in fear of the Titans and what lies behind the wall, but me… I looked up at the soldiers pacing at the walls of Trost or marching out through the gates and I wanted to be just like them; brave, strong, fearless, honorable. It's what I was raised with, what I strived for. I signed into the Trainee Corps and day I turned sixteen."

Petra frowned thoughtfully. "Funny. So did I."

David nodded. "Yeah, I know. Your mom told us, back when she used to babysit for our parents. I liked your mom and dad a lot. You knew that, didn't you?"

Petra shook her head. "I knew you knew my parents, but not much more. You couldn't have looked up to finer people, David. I hear my mother was a fantastic person."

David nodded. "Yeah, she was. I know you don't remember her, but she told the best stories." Petra tried to ask him how he knew about her memories, but he cut her off. "My mom mentioned your situation in a letter, during my last years in the Trainee Corps. She was close to your family, thought I'd like to know. Anyways, your mom used to entertain the kids for hours with stories about her daughter and Humanity's Finest Captain. Levi Ackerman, you know? I hear he joined the Scouting Legion fresh off the streets, no training or anything. He was my inspiration to join the military."

The captain was mildly impressed at the drive her subordinate had, even at such a young age, but soured at the mention of Levi Ackerman. If David knew about her accident then he must have known about her stint in the Corps' Special Operations Squad and who her captain was, and just never mentioned it. It had obviously never bothered him that Levi Ackerman and his new team were working with them, maybe even thought that it was pretty cool that his childhood idol that working side by side with him. Petra was secretly grateful for his continued silence on the matter, and motioned for him to keep going. David sighed.

"But then I got into the Trainee Corps. I didn't hear stories anymore, I heard facts, and the facts scared me. I wasn't strong enough to join the Military Police, and after everything I heard in class I didn't want to go out and fight Titans openly anymore." He laughed and smiled at her. "It was just my luck that you joined the Garrison the same time I did. And when I was assigned to your squad, I thought everything was finally falling into place. I was in a squad, I was still a soldier, and I was serving under one of the most elite soldiers in modern history."

Petra rolled her eyes. "I'm hardly the stuff of legends, David."

But David shook his head. "Before you joined the Garrison you had 10 Solo Kills and over 48 Assist Kills, and who knows how many Titans you brought down during the three days you spent running through Titan territory. You were alone with no memories, half a tank of 3DMG gas and only your own wits to keep you alive. You went back through training and emerged in the top of your class, and was given captaincy over the most elite squad in an entire military branch. I'd say that's the stuff legends are made out of, Petra _heichou." _

He looked back at her again and smiled. "You know, I'd never thought I'd be telling you all of this, but even though Levi Ackerman might've been my inspiration to become a soldier when I was a kid, _you_ were my hero." He then hung his head sadly. "And now I've disappointed you and embarrassed the entire team, and I'll never recover from that-"

Petra stopped him. "Now listen here," she said, her voice sympathetic but firm. "No, no, look at me David. Yes, you're right, you've disappointed me. But that's not something that can't be fixed. I'm a fair judge, aren't I? Do I not give people what I feel like they deserve?"

David thought about it, and then nodded. "You're helping Jewel apply for a promotion even though it means she'll leave your squad. You appoint Oro as head in charge when you're gone because he's good with people, no matter how quiet he is."

Petra nodded. "So do you think you're beyond redemption strictly because you screwed up once? It's ok to be angry with people, David. It's what you do with that anger that matters." She smiled slightly. "You know, I was looking through some old letters of mine the other day, and I found some from when I was still in the Survey Corps. Special Operations, actually. There was a teammate of mine, Oluo Bozado, who used to drive me up a wall. I must have disliked him immensely, because I found a few sketches of him in the back of those letters, and they weren't very flattering." She chuckled to herself. "We would fight and fight for hours, but in the end I could always count on him to have my back, and he would have mine. Nothing more than a show-off really, come to think of it. Dreadfully insecure..." She glanced over at an attentive David. "I think that's the way Jean Kirstein is. You're a lot like me, David, and in some ways that's a good thing. Others not so much…"

The Garrison captain let her voice trail off, and then she stood up to leave. "Come on, no use moping around now. Meeting's in a few minutes, and there's an awful lot to talk about."

David bounded to his feet grinning and hurried off after her. "So does this mean I'm forgiven?"

Petra laughed. "Of course it does."

"And I'm not suspended anymore?"

"Absolutely not." Petra tried her best to keep a straight face, but allowed her golden brown eyes to twinkle with unspoken humor. "I'm not letting you off that easily. What kind of example would I be setting?"

David bit his lip and looked at her hopefully. "A merciful one?"

Petra chuckled and led him back into the castle. "Nice thought, isn't it?"

Levi pressed himself against the wall as the duo walked into the hallway and down the opposite corridor, thankfully not noticing him. Petra was laughing at something stupid her soldier David had said, and the tension she had displayed earlier was gone. She hadn't changed that much after all; in spite of everything in the past five years, she was still caring and happy, at least on the inside. This gave Levi little comfort, however, and he replayed every word inside of his head.

_She's seen her letters from five years ago, _he kept thinking. _She knows who she was back then, about the squad… about me. _

He remembered Erwin's words, from when he and Hange had gone and talked to him. _She knew she was supposed to be dead, thought you had abandoned her, and she wasn't about to let anyone who'd left her to die have the benefit of realizing their mistake…_ _Ral's memories might have been erased, but she was still fully conscious and aware of every decision she made! _

But now she knew about the squad. Knew about him. She read her own letters, didn't she know that he had been her friend? That he would never have left her behind? Why didn't anyone tell her that he had wanted to go back for her, that he'd hated himself for every day that she wasn't back home, alive?

Why hadn't anyone told her that he'd mourned her dead?

It had been whole five years since he'd turned that file in, marked in bright, bloody red for 'deceased'. KIA, to be awarded with full honors. Except she was already back in Wall rose before then, had met with Erwin and Pixis. Erwin was still Commander then… he'd most likely destroyed the report Levi had presented to him, and then turned Petra's file over to the Garrison. _Sly bastard…_

Petra hadn't bothered searching her remaining squad out. She'd gone back through training, emerged at the top of her class and proceeded to take over the Garrison's elite squadron, with her identity and profile as a leader almost completely unknown. Her squad kept a low profile, and everyone knew what they were but not _who_ they were. And Petra must have been fine with living out the rest of her life not knowing who it was that supposedly left her to die.

But now things had changed. She came across those letters, and knew every single name in them. She might not have recognized him when he visited her in her office that one morning, but the moment he'd met with her squadron at headquarters he'd internally known something was off, especially when she'd been acting so cold and distant when only a few days before received him with well-wishing and courtesy. She'd visited her father before then- the old man, who'd confronted Levi shortly after he'd come back from that fateful expedition and told him that his daughter was ready to dedicate her life to him and was too young to get married. She must have found out during her stay in her hometown.

She knew exactly who he was, what he had used to mean to her, and wanted nothing to do with him.

Levi didn't allow his eyes to water, or even a single tear, but he felt like a sandbag had been slung into his gut. His eyes darkened coldly and his blood cooled as he pushed himself off of the wall and headed for the meeting hall.

Two could play that game. If Petra wanted nothing to do with him fine, he'd do as she wanted to skip town the moment their mission was over. He'd be out of her hair for good, and that was that. She didn't have to see him anymore.

But that didn't have to mean he was going to like it.

**Aw, Levi got his feeling hurt! It's going to be ok, he'll be fine. Just not for a little bit. **

**Just so we're all on the same page, Petra's been through A LOT. Of course she's not gonna be the same person she was before- the first thing she remembers is having to run for her life and kill monsters right out of her worst nightmares! She's gonna be a soldier- hard, calloused, straight-laced, strong- but she's also going to be human, because let's face it, Petra Ral just isn't Petra Ral without her coffee and big heart. Having known war all your life doesn't change something that significant. **

**So I'm updating now and it'll probably be the last before New Years, considering I'm gonna be in Times Square and not have my laptop with me for the next few days. R&R!**

**Rellimmes **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Levi and Petra called the meeting to order, and Petra pulled down the map of the Klorva District. "Now listen up," she said, pointing at the wall. "It's been a few days since the Titans were last seen, and the town's getting extremely nervous. More importantly, they're getting angry, most likely worried that we're here to shut them up about what they saw rather than eliminate the threat itself. There are three monsters so far as we know, but we're going into this like there's more hiding somewhere in those woods."

The Garrison captain nodded towards Oro. "I'm placing you and Mason in charge of oversight. Get a meeting with the captain of the legion himself, not just a representative. I'm tired of talking with puppets; I want to know exactly what their master knows. You're basically compiling figures, making sure there are enough soldiers on hand to defend the wall if and when a Titan were to attack. Jewel, you're with me. We're going directly to the wall, scale it top to bottom and figure out defensive strategies." She locked eyes with David, who nodded. "I'm putting you to work here in the castle. I sent in a request to Anka Rheinberger before we set out for Klorva a day ago, there's supposed to be a shipment of files on Klorva personal from both the Corps and the Garrison coming in around 4 pm. Go through them all, mark anything suspicious. I want a full report when I get back."

Jewel smirked and leaned into Sasha's ear, whispering. "She's burying him in paperwork. It's _heichou's_ idea of punishment, but I hear it's better then what Kirstein got."

Sasha giggled. "Oh yeah. Stable duty the remainder of the trip, and clean the dungeons top to bottom."

Both girls snorted, and Mikasa raised a disapproving eyebrow at them. Sasha shut up, but Jewel only rolled her eyes and re-focused on Petra's final instructions. She obviously wasn't nearly as afraid of Mikasa as Sasha was. Petra finished giving her instructions to David and sat down. Levi frowned darkly at her, more brooding than even his team was used to. "What's paperwork going to do?" he asked snappishly. "You think that lowly of the Garrison squad already up here?"

Petra narrowed her gaze at him but ignored the rudeness of the comment. "I think that the Klorva District is an odd place for a former soldier in the Rear Guad's Second Battalion. The Rear Guard's the most elite place for soldiers in the Garrison to be placed. It means you're the best of the best, it's technically where my squadron is ranked. Henry Gossamer is almost famous is far as soldiers from there go, with more high marks than your average Military Policeman. For him to be stationed all the way out here in the middle of nowhere with no recorded sighting of Titans? It doesn't add up."

Mason frowned at looked over at his superior officer. "You think he's corrupt? That he's making the entire story up as a way to get back into the big leagues?"

Petra nodded. "It's a distinct possibility, and not one I'm willing to skive over simply because I had a nice conversation with the guy." She thumbed her finger at David. "Look for any disciplinary charges, associates that might have followed him up here when he was reassigned. I want to know when he got here and why."

Armin Alert frowned thoughtfully, speaking directly to Petra for the first time. "Captain Ral, I would have taken you for Military Police. How did you end up in the Garrison?"

Petra inwardly cringed but hid his discomfort with a high laugh and a smile. She ignored the look on Levi Ackerman's face. "Things change, people die. Life, really. I'm where I need to be, and that's all there is to it." She nodded towards his captain. "Any standing orders from you, Ackerman?"

Levi shrugged. "We're in charge of finding the unlucky bastards in the field. We're pairing off. Kirstein, you're here until further notice. Connie and Sasha, you stay along the wall and track what you find. Attacking isn't authorized unless necessary and your lives are in immediate danger. Jaegar and Armin, same rules apply to you. Make due north until you reach the foothills, assessment only. I need to know how far out they were spotted and if they're getting bolder. Mikasa, you're with me."

Everyone nodded, and the captains dismissed them to start packing for the day. No one looked at each other or spoke another word; the tension between the two commanding officers was so think you could cut it with a knife.

**Yeah, yeah, it's really short this time, but it's setting the stage for the rest of the story. **

**So this is funny- one of my reviewers basically ripped Petra a new one for being a 'cruel' person and hopes Levi yells at her and all of this terrible stuff happens to her, ect ect ect. (You can read the review up top f you click and button.) I'm taking this time to assuage any misconceptions that you might have about this version of Petra Ral-**

**She doesn't have any memories prior to five years ago. She took everything she heard from the people around and put together a picture of her squad abandoning her because she was being chased by monsters for three days straight ALONE and she was supposed to be a soldier with a team that looked out for her. She doesn't know any better because she's scared of the truth- that's an actual issue. **

**As for her and Levi, they'll be fine. It's just gonna take a while. I've already written several chapters ahead and know what's gonna happen with them. Yes, there's gonna be a fight. Yes, it's gonna be huge. But it's gonna take care of the problem and Petra will be back to her old self (somewhat). Promise.**

**Well, on that happy note, R&R!**

**-rellimmes**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

><p>Petra and Jewel were out the door first, up in the saddle and riding out to the wall before any of the other teams could even put their boots on. Petra wanted to get to the wall early so they'd have enough time to scale it top to bottom, and Jewel wasn't one to back out on a good adventure. So the two women found themselves hitching their horses to a fence post and making their way past rows of houses towards the wall. Jewel looked around at the tin roofs and worn-down shacks that the civilians called home. "Wow," she marveled aloud. "I never knew that mountain towns were so… well, like this…"<p>

Petra nodded solemnly. "Their economy is primarily based on lumber, so it competes with other larger producers in neighboring villages. Most families barely make enough to scrape by."

The look on Jewel's face was so disheartened and sad, and her captain moved away from the topic. Jewel had grown up in Wall Sina and wasn't as accustomed to seeing poverty like the rest of her squad was. This must have been an enormous wake-up call without Petra unintentionally rubbing it in. She pointed out towards the wall looming over them, and then their respective 3DMG gear. "You ready for this? Should be a routine climb, but it's still a long way up."

Her subordinate's face lit up again, and she laughed lightly. "I don't know, it looks like the same wall back in Trost." She looked curiously at her captain. "Why are we scaling it though? Couldn't we just take the stairs like all the other Garrison wall guards?"

Petra shook her head, her hair catching the afternoon sun light and giving it a coppery tone to it. "We have to think about it from a soldier's perspective. If Titans were trying to get over the wall, the easiest route to get to the action is propelling directly up there, not the stairs. Our job is to take it slow, determine any and all factors that could prohibit the soldiers defending Klorva from keeping the Titans out. We get to the top, survey our surroundings, come up with two or three defensive maneuvers for the Garrison legion to make should an attack take place." She laughed as an afterthought. "Plus, climbing's fun."

Jewel laughed with her as they simultaneously swung their grappling hooks to the top of the wall, secured them and prepared for the long scale up. "This wouldn't have anything to do with my training for that promotion, would it?"

Her climbing mate smiled mischievously. "Nothing gets past you, does it?"

The bottle blonde shook her head and giggled. "Thanks, I'll take that as a complement." She adjusted her gear, leaned back, and the two started up the wall. "Hey _heichou_, can I ask you something?"

Petra shrugged. "You name it."

"Do you really think Henry Gossamer is corrupt?"

Her captain's face turned sour for a moment, and she thought carefully. "I don't know yet; that's why I assigned David the job of looking through those files. Something was off about him, even when I talked to him. He didn't seem too happy that the Survey Corps were up here with us helping through the investigation. Didn't know anything about it, actually. That's off, especially for a representative assigned to get the teams acquainted with the case. If this entire trip turns out to be a wild goose chase the politicians in Wall Sina will want answers, and I'm not about to be blindsided on this one. You follow?"

Jewel's eyebrows rose curiously. "So you don't think it has anything to do with Titan shifters?"

"Who told you about that?"

"I overheard Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Alert and Eren Jaegar talking. He's a Titan Shifter, isn't he? Captain Ackerman is apparently worried that Titan shifters are involved, and not the kind on our side. What do you think about it?"

Petra sighed reluctantly. "I hope it's not true. Not that I don't trust Jaegar or the Survey Corps, but there was a reason the Garrison was ready to kill him when he first appeared as a shifter. I wasn't there for it, but I know from what Anka and Gustav told me that the only reason all three of those soldiers are still alive is because Pixis and former Commander Erwin stepped in at the last minute, and even that had consequences of its own. A trial, 500 deaths and a failed expedition later we're still trying to fully understand what makes a shifter tick-"

"So you're wary of them?"

"That, and the fact that if it turns out to be shifters I can't be sure what side he'll take on the matter. I'm not about to take a chance on a shifter if they're a proven threat to humanity. If they attack then I will kill them myself. Case closed."

Jewel frowned curiously. "I get it. But why do you hate them so much?"

Honestly? Petra didn't know. It was just a natural instinct; anything to do with a Titan was evil. Eren Jaegar was a decent kid, she'd give him that, but she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. Maybe it was the fact that her first memories were of monsters trying to swallow her whole, or sprinting through darkness avoiding their tight grasps for three days on end. She shuddered. "Look, we're almost at the top."

* * *

><p>Klorva, run-down housing and musky streets aside, was easily one of the most beautiful districts in Wall Rose. Its natural beauty was unparalleled, with miles of rolling hills, deep valleys and picturesque mountains stretching for miles. Even with the temperatures dropping as early in the year as they had, it was almost perfect. The village below them wasn't nearly as much of an eye sore, but rather a distant, vague memory of a time long since past. Petra could feel the tranquility of the soft fall breeze pick her up and carry her across the scene, and she almost smiled. She could stay up here forever.<p>

Jewel waved her hand in front of Petra's face. "_Heichou_? You still here?"

Petra blinked twice, shook her head and was brought back down off of cloud nine. "Of course. What was I saying?"

Jewel laughed. "Something about evacuation routes for the villagers."

Petra nodded. "Yes, evac." She pointed towards the mountains, and the narrow pass driving in between the two closest peaks. That was the direction of Trost, and where the railroad ran from. "What about that route? If memory serves there's a series of deep caverns into those mountains, and a passage into the next town. If the immediate Klorva civilian population was in danger they could easily take refuge there, until the trouble was over."

"And if the wall breaches?"

Petra frowned, thinking. "The cavern system has an underground lake as well as several fresh water springs. The entries are too small and scarce for even Titans to break through, and the mountain range is dangerous in its own right. Either way, they'd be safe until help arrived."

Her subordinate nodded. "Smart move. What about the soldiers? Defensive maneuvers?"

Petra shrugged. "They're highly, know what they're doing. I don't expect a wall breach from a tall, solid, stable wall with only three twenty meter Titans trying to break in. It doesn't take much planning ahead to take down a monster. I say we leave that sort of planning to the local militia leaders. Right now I want to focus on who goes where."

She nodded towards the four watch towers atop the walls, each about a mile apart in either direction. Despite the distance, they were easily recognizable. "There should be at least ten soldiers in each of those towers, plus a ground team and those handling general affairs in the Garrison bunker in town. That's enough to take down a couple twenty meters, wouldn't you say?"

Jewel frowned thoughtfully, doing the calculations in her head before nodding. "I guess so. So is that everything? That's all we came up here to do?"

Petra nodded. "Not very hard, was it? To be honest, I thought it was be more difficult to plan out things like this. I guess it's a small town, less people to worry about and more places to go. Back in Trost there isn't any room for error…" She let her voice trail off. Jewel bobbed her head in agreement. "Yeah, but Trost's in the city too, and it has a huge gaping hole to protect," she added. "Doing that kinda work, its more challenging I'd think."

Her captain laughed and smiled. "That's the kind of work you'll be doing, if you get that promotion. It's not every day the Military Police look for new recruits outside the Top Ten. You make it, you'll be in the big leagues, doing everything I do-"

"Just not in the field, working with real people," Jewel interrupted. She stooped herself, but at Petra's encouragement she spoke her mind. "I know what it's like, in Wall Sina. I grew up there, and those people… they're just not realistic, you know? They don't know what it's really like outside their little safe bubble, with food and wine and a warm bed every night. If I make that promotion and get reassigned, I'll be a foot soldier again, just for a different branch. I'll be expected to take orders and not question them."

Petra raised an eyebrow. "You're starting to have doubts?"

Jewel nodded reluctantly. "I appreciate everything you've done for me _heichou_, really I do! It's just... well, you know how the Military Police are! They're lazy and fat and corrupt, just like that guy Gossamer! Everyone knows that, which is why we're here instead of them. _Heichou_, I love this squad, but even you know we wouldn't exist if the Military Police did their job! I want to be helpful, useful, serve all of humanity and not just those who feel like they deserve it!"

The poor young soldier thought that her captain would have been angry at her outburst, but all she saw was a simply nod. A small smile tugged at the corners of Petra's lips, and she looked over at Jewel expectantly. "You joined the Garrison because you wanted to work with people. That's a noble thing, and you're right, you wouldn't get that chance if you were in the Military Police." She paused, mulling over her words carefully. "But you also have to think about the future. If the Police are corrupt, who's going to make them change? If they were really as terrible as you say, why don't you strive to be better than them?"

Petra strode forward a few steps, towards the edge of the wall, and stared out across the ocean of evergreen trees below. "Sacrifice in this line of work is everything, Jewel. You've done a lot already by leaving Sina and becoming a soldier. That's not something rich people do on a whim. But it's not over yet. You still have a life to live, and if you want to serve humanity, you have to put everything out on the table. The military isn't meant to be a comfort zone; it's meant to go to war. And if you're fighting against evil within your own ranks… well, that's one of the greatest missions anyone will ever undertake."

She turned to her subordinate. "It takes much courage to stand up to your enemies. But it takes even more to stand up to your friends."

Jewel's face fell, and she stayed silent. Petra frowned, then chuckled weakly and patted the girl on the back. "But it's also a personal choice. If you decide you're not ready, then you're mature enough to know as much and back down from something you're not yet ready to handle. I won't be mad if you choose to stay here, Jewel. In fact, I'd almost prefer it. I'd be the only woman in my own squad!"

The two young women laughed together a brief moment, and then readied themselves to descend back down the wall. At the same time, they spotted a lone figure at the bottom.

"Petra _heichou_!" Mason shouted up at them, waving his arms wildly. "Come quick! There's something Oro and I need to tell you!"

* * *

><p><strong>Well, how'd ya like them apples? Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews so far, I'm really enjoying reading them! You guys are hilarious, and I'm glad you like my story enough to consider it canon (even though it's not and you're reading this to try and convince yourselves that it is!) That's ok. You guys are amazing.<strong>

**Thank you "Milkshake Money" and "heartlessthief". You guys are the most consistent, persistent, inspirational, uplifting, opinionated and wonderful reviewers a writer could ask for. We pray for readers like you! **

**Anyways, R&R! It's Chapter 17 already? I thought I'd never make it! **

**rellimmes**


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